Pashinyan on relations with Russia and the desire not to lose a "competitive advantage”

“The railway will run from Zangelan to Meghri, from Meghri to Nakhchivan, and so on. In the international context, it is crucial how this railway will continue. There are two competing options. Turkey and Azerbaijan have announced a project to build a new Kars-Diliju railway, that is, from Kars to Nakhchivan. Naturally, we expect the international route to pass along the Yeraskh-Akhurik line, where a railway already exists. Only a few kilometers of track are missing in the Yeraskh section, and even fewer in the Akhurik section, which is already located on the border with Turkey.

We must focus on our competitive advantages. We see that, internationally, the fact that this section of the railway is under Russian control is being used to promote the Kars-Diliju route as more attractive,” the prime minister said in an interview with Armenian Public TV.

Recalling that he had proposed to the Russian leadership that this section of the railway be removed from the concession management of Russian Railways, Nikol Pashinyan said:

“It appears that politically we are receiving a positive response.” 

“We must find a solution based on friendship, partnership, and brotherhood. Several billion dollars are being invested in the construction of the Kars-Diliju railway. I raised this issue directly with our partners – the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan – though not in such detail. I said: we already live in peace, this railway passes through Armenia, so why are you spending several billion dollars to create something that already exists? Of course, the response was diplomatic silence. However, based on the assessments of the international expert community, we understand that this is the core issue.” 

Nikol Pashinyan also commented on relations with Russia:

“We share the following principle with all our partners everywhere: harming Russia or its interests has never been, is not, and will never be on our agenda. That is out of the question. No one will be able to drag us into actions against Russia, even if they try – and so far, no one has tried. 

And we tell our Russian partners: we will not quarrel or enter into disputes with you, because we value our relationship.

The personal dimension is also important: I have a very direct and warm relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

This is our strategy: we will not act against Russia, but we will always act in the interests of the Republic of Armenia. And we ask our Russian partners: do you have any objections to this logic?”

Referring to the agreements reached by Armenia and Azerbaijan through the mediation of the U.S. president in Washington on August 8, 2025, Nikol Pashinyan said:

“On August 8, 2025, in Washington, we signed the agreement that we had been proposing to the Russian Federation for nearly five years. Of course, TRIPP was not part of it, but we were asking for just five words – only five words: territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity, and inviolability of borders. We said, ‘Put those five words on paper, and I am ready to sign at any moment.’ This is a very concrete example of how we have never acted against Russia and will not act against it.”