Russia’s Strategic Grasp Over Armenia

On October 15 2024 at 05:00 pm Yerevan time (03:00 pm CEST) Heinrich Boell Foundation - Yerevan invites you to the Boell Talks on Russia’s Strategic Grasp Over Armenia. 

Armenia's relationship with Russia, once its traditional ally, has now shifted to viewing it as a hostile actor. This change has been driven by Russia's failure to support Armenia and Russia’s growing alignment with Azerbaijan since the ceasefire of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, Azerbaijan's attacks on Armenia in 2022, and on Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. In response to its disappointment with Russia, Armenia is actively diversifying its political ties by strengthening relations with the West and other global actors. 

Despite these political shifts, Armenia’s structural dependencies on Russia persist and have even deepened in some areas. This is particularly evident in key sectors of trade and energy. While the security landscape is changing alongside political developments, the effects of past overreliance on Russia for security still linger and merit examination.

Armenia’s continuing overreliance on Russia creates vulnerabilities, and Russian officials frequently warn of potential negative consequences for Armenia. In November 2023 and July 2024, a Russian government agency blocked the import of numerous Armenian food products for over a week. This action significantly impacted tens of thousands of Armenian farmers and greenhouse owners who heavily depend on the Russian market.

Join us at this Boell Talks Zoom webinar to discuss Russia’s leverage over Armenia, Russia’s threats, and ways to enhance Armenia’s security and resilience. The Regional Center for Democracy and Security’s report “Russia’s Strategic Grasp: Mapping Control in Armenia’s Key Areas” will also be presented at the event. 

Panelists:

• Karena Avedissian and Tigran Grigoryan, Regional Center for Democracy and Security
• Sergey Lagodinsky, Member of the European Parliament
• Mane Adamyan, expert on strategic partnership with the European Union

Moderator: Sonja Schiffers, Director, Heinrich Böll Foundation Tbilisi Office – South Caucasus Region

Please register here.

The webinar will be held in English without translation.

In cooperation with Heinrich Böll Foundation - Federal Foundation Berlin