The Armenian government has adopted a neutral stance toward the armed attack launched by Russia on Ukraine on February 24.
The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan were silent following Russia’s recognition of the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, on February 21. When asked whether the recognition of the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk by the Armenian government is possible, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said that there is “no such issue on the agenda.”
“We surely want the existing issues between our two friendly states to be resolved through diplomatic dialogue, negotiations, and in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and the UN Charter. We hope for the necessary steps to be undertaken towards reducing the tension and resolving the situation peacefully,” Hunanyan told reporters.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The leaders discussed the “situation in Russian-Ukrainian relations and regional security issues.” Putin also invited Pashinyan to visit Moscow in the spring.
While Armenian authorities refrained from expressing their support for Russian recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk, Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan welcomed Putin’s announcement.
“The establishment of an independent state and its international recognition becomes an imperative especially in the face of existential dangers, as it is the most effective and civilized means of preventing bloodshed and humanitarian disaster,” Harutyunyan said in a Facebook post.
Harutyunyan expressed his hope that the Republic of Artsakh has “earned the international recognition of its sovereign state.”
Tigran Grigoryan, a Yerevan-based Armenian analyst from Stepanakert, criticized Harutyunyan’s congratulatory message.
“Armenian diplomacy must devote great efforts to ensure that Artsakh is never identified with other de facto states in the post-Soviet space,” Grigoryan wrote on Facebook.
He also said that Harutyunyan is “probably forced to make such statements from time to time” due to pressure from Russian officials.
On February 22, the Russian president and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev met in Moscow and signed a declaration raising the relationship between the two countries to that of “allied interaction.”
The declaration states that Russia and Azerbaijan will “build their relations on the basis of allied interaction, mutual respect for independence, state sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the state borders of the two countries.” It also states that the armed forces of the two countries will deepen their interaction, including by “holding joint operational and combat training activities.” The countries “may consider the possibility of providing each other with military assistance.”
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the Armenian government once again refrained from expressing a position in the conflict, maintaining its neutrality while conveying its tacit loyalty to Russia.
For instance, on February 25, Armenia was the sole country to join Russia in voting against a decision by the Council of Europe to suspend Russia from the organization. Russia’s rights of representation in the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly have been temporarily revoked as a result. Russia will remain a party to Council of Europe conventions, including the European Convention on Human Rights.
Furthermore, on February 28, Armenia abstained from a vote held by the United Nations Human Rights Council to hold an “urgent debate” at the request of Ukraine.
Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, said that the Armenian government is demonstrating “strategic silence.”
“Although Armenia’s position, as the only other country besides Russia to oppose that move, dangerously isolates Armenia, there was little choice and even less of an alternative for Armenia,” he told OC Media.
Yet Giragosian warned that open loyalty from Armenia toward Russia could endanger “any sense of diplomatic balance” and threaten to “push Armenia into a vulnerable and isolated position on the wrong side of history.”
Russia has been reaching out to its traditional allies in the post-Soviet sphere to secure their support since the start of the war. On February 26, Putin held phone calls with Pashinyan and Aliyev. While the press release from Pashinyan’s office does not mention the war in Ukraine, Aliyev and Putin “discussed the situation amid the escalation of events in Ukraine,” according to Aliyev’s office. Pashinyan and Putin discussed “issues related to the activities of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization.”
Heads of the member states of the EAEU, a Russian-led trade bloc of five former Soviet states, met in Kazakhstan this week to discuss measures to counteract the economic fallout from international sanctions leveled against Russia.
“Of course, it is obvious that sanctions will have a clear impact on the economic climate in the Eurasian region, and in this regard, we need to discuss what operative decisions we should make to minimize these negative consequences and if possible, bypass them by taking appropriate steps,” Pashinyan said during the summit.
The ruble plummeted about 30-percent against the US dollar on Monday following a range of sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and other Western countries targeting the Russian baking sector and state-owned companies.
Former finance minister Vardan Aramyan said that the devaluation of Russian currency could impact the competitiveness of Armenian goods in the Russian market.
“The Russian ruble has weakened against the Armenian dram and will continue to depreciate. This, of course, will affect our exporters, as they will lose their price competitiveness,” he said during a February 28 interview with Sputnik Armenia.
Aramyan also said that the sanctions could reduce demand for Armenian goods among Russian consumers. “People will have less money, which will lead to a decrease in purchasing power and demand for goods, including in relation to our goods that ended up on the Russian market,” he said.
Russia is Armenia’s number one trading partner. Deputy Minister of the Economy of Armenia Narek Teryan said last week that trade between Armenia and Russia topped $2.6 billion in 2021.
Aramyan also said that the sanctions may reduce remittances from Russia, negatively impacting the Armenian economy.
Armenia received $2.1 billion in remittances from the diaspora in 2021, as stated by the Union of Banks of Armenia on February 16. The largest share of transfers, about $866 million, came from Russia.
Despite official silence, some Armenians have expressed support for Ukraine in opposition to the Russian armed attack. On February 27, the Ukrainian embassy in Yerevan organized a small demonstration with under 100 participants to express solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Armenian public opinion on the conflict is complicated by Ukraine’s ongoing support for Azerbaijan, including during the 2020 Artsakh War.
Yet demonstrations in Armenia pale in comparison to mass protests in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Thousands of people gathered in Tbilisi on Tuesday for the sixth day of protests to demand the resignation of the Georgian government over its inadequate support for Ukraine. Hundreds of people attended a protest in Baku at the Ukrainian embassy on Sunday to condemn the Russian invasion.
Indeed, Armenia is the only South Caucasus country that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not tweeted about since the start of the war.
“Incredible Georgian people who understand that friends must be supported! Grateful to everyone in Tbilisi and other cities who came out in support of Ukraine and against the war. Indeed, there are times when citizens are not the Government, but better than the Government,” he tweeted on February 25.
I continue negotiations with international partners. Had a conversation with 🇦🇿 President @presidentaz. We appreciate the humanitarian aid and medicines provided. Thank you for your support to 🇺🇦
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022
Lillian Avedian
Latest posts by Lillian Avedian (see all)
- Book Review | Reparations of the Heart: Toward a SWANA Futurity - April 10, 2024
- The Region in Brief - April 10, 2024
- Armenia on the path to becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence - March 27, 2024
All wars are tragic, but some are justified. Despite what CNN says, history will be on the side of Russia.
What would Uncle Sam do if Texas tried break free from the United States and made a military alliance with Russia? What would Uncle Sam do if China was to deploy troops and missiles in Mexico? What would Uncle Sam do if Russians were to deploy troops or missiles in Venezuela? What did Uncle Sam do in Cuba, Vietnam, Granada, Panama, Iraq, Serbia, Libya and Syria?
This war was a direct result of expanding NATO to Russia’s borders, despite 30 years of complaints and warnings by Moscow. This war was a direct result of placing missile systems near Russia’s borders, despite 30 years of complaints and warnings by Moscow. This war was a direct result of fomenting anti-Russian Color Revolutions throughout former soviet space, including in Ukraine. Ukraine has been a hotbed of anti-Russian activity. Like what we saw in Artsakh, the separatist Russian populated region of Donbass was bombed for 8 years before Russians stepped in. This war was also a consequence of Western powers and their allies invading Iraq on false pretexts. This war was a consequence of Western powers and their allies mercilessly bombing Serbia, again based on false pretexts, and giving a major piece of it (i.e. Kosovo) to Albanian Muslims. This war was also a consequence of Western powers destroying Syria and Libya via Western-back Islamic terror groups.
Western powers and their allies are responsible for a number of illegal invasions and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people since 1991. Western powers and their allies are also responsible for a number of bloody “regime changes” and “color revolutions” around the world, including Armenia in 2018, which led to the loss of Artsakh.
It’s about time someone stood up and said – no more! Once again, that someone is the great Russian nation.
I did not see the “civilized world” protesting when Artsakh was attacked. I did not see them protesting when Serbia was attacked. I did not see them protesting when Iraq was attacked. I did not see them protesting when Syria was attacked. I did not see them protesting when Libya was attacked. I did not see them protesting when Yemen was attacked. The “civilized world” with all its toxic organizations and institutions, along with their Ukrainian friends can go to hell.
This war will end with Ukraine total capitulation in one to two weeks. Despite what Western MSM is trying to tell us, President Putin’s war effort in Ukraine has been brilliant. Despite the fact that Ukraine is one of the largest countries in the world and has a well armed and well trained military, around 25% of Ukraine is now in Russian hands. Despite what Western MSM is trying to tell us, all measures are being taken by the Russian military to lessen civilian casualties. Russians have even kept the lights on throughout the country. This restraint by the Russians is causing delays as well as Russian casualties. For their part, Western officials and journalists have been encouraging and inciting Ukrainian civilians to fight the Russian army.
In other words, Westerners are doing their best to get Ukrainians massacred for a good “photo op”. And Zelensky is their Grim Reaper in this regard. In any case, Ukraine will no longer exist after this. They played with fire for too long. No tears for Ukraine from me. Let’s Russia do what it needs to do to that pro-Tatar and pro-Azeri hotbed of Western, Turkish and Israeli activity.
Great points
“Concerned Armenian” or maybe we should call you “murderous russian”. Why are you in the US complaining about the Western world? I am sure your God putin will accept you in his bear hug with a lot of joy. So go to russia and enjoy your life.
Concerned Armenian = russian troll
Shouldn’t the Ukrainian people have the right to choose their own government? They choose to separate from the USSR 30 years ago and they chose their current government just a few years ago. If they wanted a pro Russian government then they would of not elected Zelensky in a land slide victory.
Garo,
I judge trees by the fruits they bare. I am also a champion truth. I reject lies, deceit, hypocrisy and moral/sexual degradation. So, try a new approach for a change. Better yet, take a close look in the mirror. Your CFR-inspired fairytales is not working. That train passed many years ago. You are so sunk in your lies that you did not notice the train leave. Now you are all alone. As always, your words are and have always been a result of your empty arrogance, political illiteracy, emotional handicaps and cognitive dissonance.
Grateful for conversation today with a couple of Armenians who could shed more light. I appreciate the other comments made. I hope we will all experience peace with justice. I hope we will also come to a point when people like Ukraine who sold weapons to Azerbaijan will learn. What happened to Armenians continues and is not acceptable. Yes, the world was and is silent. This invasion is also not acceptable. I find governments are not always the voice of their people. I continue to pray for the Ukrainians who are experiencing this horror. My hope and prayer is also that their government will learn and remember when this happens to others. I want to thank those of you who left enlightening comments. They help very much.
What a paranoiaс comment by a defeated and disgruntled dashnak!
Russians got into a bloody mess way worse than Afghanistan, and it will take them decades to restore their reputation as a civilized nation, if ever. Ultimately, they will withdraw their “oeace-keepers” from everywhere outside Russia, including Azerbaijan’s remaining part of Karabakh, so the so-called “artsakh” will be a complete “prtsak”. i.e. a donut hole.
Garo,
When people don’t have anything smart to say they attack, slander and distract. That’s exactly what you are doing. Shame on you. Tens of millions of Americans today are highly critical of Washington DC and all its crimes around the world. I was born and raise in the US but I no longer recognize this country. This once great country is turning into a decaying cesspit. So please stop trying to silence people who see the truth and bare witness to it. You should be ashamed of yourself.
And this is why I will never support Armenia again. No more Armenian flags on my car. No more protesting outside the Turkish embassy in LA. Armenia is on the wrong side of history here and still beholden to their Soviet masters. I thought Armenia had its independence. I guess not.
Concerned Russian is Kremlins mouthpiece. His comrade ‘K’ will be here shortly. Both enjoy their western lifestyles. That includes ‘Al’ from Germany. West is bad, I just like using their stuff. I threw up reading CR’s post. Invasions are justified for the glory of the empire! Russian comrades are still living in the late Iron age. NATO is a defensive org, also what has Texas got to do with Ukraine which is a soverign country? There is no place on this planet for bullies. Learn to be civilized and stop attacking your neighbors for some past glory and trying to justify it with faked footage and other trash. Maybe Turks should form a Peoples Republic in Berlin? Lets vote on it! Armenians can take Glendale. Peoples Republics for everyone!
Not one turk should be accusing anyone else of committing atrocities. Turkish atrocities against Armenians are well documented.
Turkish,
Was the war where Turks “owned Russians” played out in your dream last night? Can you please tell me what war you are talking about? Because I can give you a dozen wars where Russians “owned Turks”, the last one at Sarikamish, where 100,000 Turkish soldiers were turned into popsicles.
Ukraine is one of the largest and most forested countries in the world. Ukraine had stockpiled modern weapons and trained its military for a war against Russia for 8 years. Ukrainians are good fighters. Ukraine’s military in fact outnumbers Russian forces in Ukraine. Ukraine’s major cities are easily defensible. Yet, in one week, Russia was able to take 25% of Ukraine – and they have not even sent in their main battle forces.
Compare this to what Turks have been able to do against Kurds and what Westerners were able to do against Afghans, Iraqis and Serbians. The war in Ukraine has been a brilliant display of military prowess and professionalism by the Russian armed forces. Don’t take my word for it. Find and serious (non-political, non-biased) military analyst and ask them…
If turks don’t want Armenia to have close relations with Russia, that might be because it would reduce the chances of assembling a pan-turkic state they’re fantasizing about. An assembly that would require yet another genocide.
Armenia would prefer to be independent and free, but given the choice of annihilation or Russian partnership, what do you think is going to happen?
This isn’t about morality, or “what’s right”. Everyone knows the sovereign borders of Ukraine have been violated illegally, and everyone who can read can easily find out it’s about natural gas reserves that have recently been discovered. Everyone also knows the unpunished genocide of Armenians by Turks is a reality. Let’s not talk around the subject.
Turks have repeatedly shown themselves to be vicious animals in their actions and soul-less liars in their words, happy to brainwash their own populations and rewrite history books. They do not belong to the centuries since the enlightenment of the modern world, but have crawled along in the darkness of the middle ages, still dreaming of caliphates.
Given all these things we know, there’s no question of Armenia looking for safety in the cave of a Russian bear when there are Turkish jackals howling for blood outside.
Shame on you! Russia helped the illegal, Armenian Genocide committing, Armenian land occupying turkey and azerbaijan invade Armenia and NO ONE, NOT ANY ONE supported us. Armenia does not owe anyone anything. Let ukraine and anyone else persevere on their own, just like we Armenians are forced to do. Furthermore, this is a war (not an invasion) and we don’t know who fired the first shot. Remember when azerbaijan clearly attacked Artsakh and the so-called “civilized” world lied and said “we don’t know who fired the first shot?” Remember when Armenian civilians and soldiers alike were being tortured, bombed into oblivion, inundated with extremely dangerous white phosphorus, being hunted down by scores of imported terrorists from syria, pakistan, and afganistan? No one cared and every garbage “human rights” organizations instead turned around and blamed Armenians for daring to fight back.
Arstakh and Armenia are undergoing Genocide RIGHT NOW and are on the brink of annihilation! So again I say, HOW DARE YOU?
Any real Armenians out there: support the Armenian nation and only the Armenian nation. For sure no one else will ever support us.
Armenia asked Russia for help during the invasion. Ukraine asked the West for support. You get what you ask for.
georgia closed airspace to armenia during artsakh war if EU accept this Armenians must consider WEST İS A ENENMY OF ARMENİAN NATİON
Georgia opened its airspace for Turkey to transport thousands of Jihadists to Azerbaijan to fight Armenians in Artsakh. It also allowed weapons transport across its airspace to Azerbaijan. We also remember America’s silence during the savage attack on Artsakh-Armenians by NATO-Turkey and Azerbaijan.
We remember America’s silence.
I agree: Georgia. with its flag of crosses, backstabbed Armenia, during the 2020 Karabakh War.
Armenians who justify Russia and stay silent are exactly why people are silent when things happen to us. When will WE stop being our own enemy? We have learned nothing.
Disagree with this point. The world has been mostly silent about atrocities against the Armenians. This is somehow implying that we are the cause.
We remember America’s silence.
We remember the US State Department’s silence during NATO-Turkey-US-ally and Azerbaijan’s savage attack on Artsakh-Armenians.
You’re wrong Reverend Minasian.
Ukrainian volunteers were bombing Armenians in Artsakh a few years ago. Ukraine did not support Artsakh. This war is not Armenian business. Unfortunately Ukrainians ultra nationals have be welcoming this war.
I have learned more throughout the day. I would say that as a pastor I still can’t act like the killing of innocents anywhere is justified. I worded my previous comment poorly. As Christians we are called to care when unjust things happen to our neighbors. So I am thinking of the innocent people not the oligarchs and government officials. War is everybody’s business but it doesn’t mean boots on the ground. Maybe Ukraine learned something.
Susan, please stop the hypocrisy and nonsense. Western governments are responsible for murdering over one million people around the world since the 1990s. Where was the global outrage and sanctions then? Where was the global outrage ad sanctions when Karabakh was attacked? What makes Ukrainians better than Armenians, Serbians, Iraqis, Syrians, Yemenis or Libyans? The answer is Ukraine was getting ready to host Western troops and develop nuclear weapons. Ukraine is to Russia what Karabakh is to Armenians. Russia complained abut this for many years. So Russia reserve the right to naturalize the threat from Ukraine. Period.
Thank you, Gurgen. Finally someone with brains….
This is why our people have lost all of our lands. Too many who can’t see truth past the end of their noses. But Susan is right about one thing… she has learned nothing.
See my long comment…
You are correct for sure Gurgen. However, I don’t think Ukrainians are better…I think they are human like us. I totally agree and absolutely lift up and advocate for all who are oppressed and are attacked without provocation. I still think we can advocate for truth and people speaking out for Armenia without saying their silence means the people deserve this invasion.
At Concerned Armenian,
Short and sweet. If Putin had any brain, he should’ve liberated Kars Ardahan, Trabizon, and the rest of the Western Armenia, with the involvement of the Armenian ground forces, and NATO would’ve done nothing,as you can see it in Ukraine situation. This would’ve put Russia in better position, being closer to the Arabian oil fields. Thus, when the West threatens Russia with sanctions ,then the Russians could threaten the West will strike of the oil fields.
Thus spoke the “expert” in geopolitical and military affairs. Blinding arrogance, emotional handicaps and cognitive dissonance at its worst…
No wonder Armenia is a failed state, a wasteland of ineptitude, ignorance and stupidity. No wonder Armenians have lost all their lands….
Hunanyan says “our friendly neighbors”? Wow… what friendly neighbors… Ukraine, who sold Azerbaijan phosphor munitions? Turkey? Azerbaijan? Georgia?
Tigran Grigoryan writes “Armenian diplomacy must devote great efforts to ensure that Artsakh is never identified with other de facto states in the post-Soviet space….” What does that mean? He wants Artsakh to be part of Armenia? He wants Artsakh NOT to be identified as an independent state that could apply the international law of the right to self-determination?
It seems that Grigoryan, like so many other fools, are focused on Russia’s transgressions in Ukraine instead of rightfully acknowledging and highlighting the application of the right to self-determination by Donetsk and Lunansk. Grigoryan ignorantly conflates the two conditions: 1) right to self-determination and independence; 2) de facto Russian state.
Some Armenians say they want independence but can’t find their own nose to pick. So what would be so wrong with Russian protection? Not that I like Russians or their historical disparagement of Armenians as second class citizens, but beggars can’t be choosers. You fools have squandered everything. And today, your filthy, corrupt government wines and dines traitors like Ruben Vardanyan and Noubar Afeyan… hoping to be thrown some more morsels to build their dream homes somewhere out of Armenia.
What alternative do you have… US ‘protection’? Tell me, how has that worked out for you? Do you people know that the US protects Turkey and all these problems you face are a result of that alliance? Biden recognizes the Armenian Genocide to mollify you fools and put you little children to sleep. How is that working out for you?
Perhaps the better scenario would be to let Russia protect Armenia and Artsakh, to invest in those areas, to help you fools grow and strengthen; clearly you can’t do it on your own. Then, learn from their technology, steal their knowledge, build true underpinnings of independence. Then you can bargain. Right now, you’re anyone’s slave. You people screamed for independence, and what have you done with it? The only thing I’ve seen is crying to the world “Shame on you…! Shame on you…!”
Another one, Giragosian worries about Armenia being on the “wrong side of history.” Well, let things continue the way they’re going and you’ll all be dead and you won’t have to worry about which side of history you’ve landed. What is he worried about… what great advantage has Armenia reaped from being on the side of the Western parasites?
Is he also a paid CIA agent, the CIA operating through Soros? Or is he just a fool? You tell me. Perhaps he’s just another ignorant, unsophisticated junior high schooler. It seems that Pashinyan appoints a bunch of 30-somethings to important government posts. And here we have the results…!
Vardan Aramyan worries about the impact to competitiveness of Armenian goods in the Russian market…! Oh God…! This guy was the finance minister…! Who else is buying your goods? And what goods do you have to offer the world? Apricots? Pomegranates? You fools are treated like cheap slave labor by Western countries. Your nation is overrun by Chinese and Indians because you incompetents could not build infrastructure, society, education systems, technology prowess, high-tech goods. You say you want independence but still think like lazy Communists. No wonder you have no running water and no flushing toilets. It’s truly beyond comprehension how far this culture and people have fallen.
You express “…solidarity with the Ukrainian people…” even though they sold phosphor munitions to Azerbaijan, burned your forests, burned alive your civilian youth.
No wonder you have lost your lands. My uncles killed hundreds of Turks in 1915, two of them famous in Watertown, Mass. for their efforts in Musa Dagh. Other relatives were burned alive with acid in Van. And you degenerates disparage them, their lives, their struggle.
Justificafions here for Russian atrocities,
The west did it back in the day so now its Russia’s turn.
Russia has the right to neutralize the threat…
One country has the right apparently to invade another in a full blown out war and ‘neutralize’ them (genocide?/slaves?). Ukraine has never attacked Russia… It wants nothing to do with Russia. Russia is just mad it has no friends left and is forcing friendship. So Armenians cheer bullies basically. Victimhood one day, bully support another. Great work.
Also no other has killed more people then Russians. The only reason Russia wasn’t held accountable for mass genocides was because they were on the winning side of WW2. Also Jay tell your mate Putin to come invade Turkey. See how it works out for them. Its not like owning Russians in war is not something we have not done. Bring it. Can’t even take flat terrain Ukraine with half its military from all sides. I am not sure why some Armenians want nothing more then to be Russian slaves, puppet regime like Belarus. Have your head checked.
LOL, you guys have lost most of the wars you fought with Russia historically.
The Russians are being much more patient with Ukraine than you and the NATO coalition were with Syria and Iraq.
Stop the tough guy posturing, lol.
You shouldn’t even participate in this conversation. Your genocidal country has so much blood on it’s hands, so the best thing for you – to keep silent!
Reading some of your other comments, I thought..OK, decent points, then I read this and realized boy was I wrong.
You claim Armenians cheer bullies. Victimhood one day, bully support another. Turkey is the epitome of shifting sides from one to the another daily. Throughout history Turkey has been on one side first, then seeing their chosen side is losing, they swap positions without a second thought. I am not even saying this is a bad thing, as it seems to work for your government. Turks and Azeris (yes, I am combing them into one as your government proudly chants, 2 states, 1 nation) will proudly say “We love Russian’s much more than Armenians do” one day, then turn around and say Armenian’s are supporting bullies. Turks, politically, will proudly sell their relatives to achieve their end goal. Are they immoral in this aspect? Yes. Do they achieve their goal? Also yes.
Armenia will support exactly that party which aligns with its own self-interests. As previously stated, when Ukraine was arming Azeri’s during the Artsakh War in 2020, I am positive you, the human rights defender, were writing that Ukrainian’s are supporting bullies, right?
Check back with me when the war is over and we see who Turkey is supporting.
As a parting note, take your pan-Turkism nonsense elsewhere friend, and be thankful Armenian’s allow for you to express your thought freely. If you know of a site where I can freely express my thoughts on Erdogan, Aliyev, or the Turkish or Azeri governments, let me know. I’d love to partake.
Musa, I am no supporter of Erdogan. Pan Turkism? LOL. Turks would laugh in Turkey. Erdogan just has flashbacks like Putin. Putin wants to be Peter the Great and Erdogan wants to be Enver Pasha. Age, delusions of greatness finally get the best of some leaders. Musolini was a great example. You Armenians keep talking about this and I just don’t get it. We have nothing in common with our Turkic cousins. We mixed while they did not, our languages and everything are different. May I recommend to you ‘The Turkish Century’ by Kraut on YT. It has millions of viewers and it explains everything (talks about Armenians in depth) well. Yes Turkey does indeed do ballerina acts between the west and east. We are looking out for our future. I never said the west has no ill intentions. But what Putin is doing is just wrong. You should stand up for Ukraine and win the admiration of the west. ANCA demands money for your Artsahk while its President praises Putin lol. Look it is rather complicated and I don’t want to write an essay but you should be on the right side of history. What is Putin going to do to Armenia? Send more useless peacekeepers? The world doesn’t need Russia. It can keep its oil and gas. Also Azerbaycan had the UN on its side. That is why no one cared. Alivey is as corrupt as Putin. “Ukraine sold munitions to Azeri thats why…”. Everyone bloody sells weapons to everyone else. Its a free market unless their are sanctions. Armenia is in a tough spot, always has been. Just saying there is nothing to gain from being on the Russian side, pariah bully state. Useless country and the 44 day war was proof, no help. Someone mentioned Georgia being a pathway for jihadis and weapons to Azer’s. Ukraine and Georgia both hate Russia. Armenia is friendly with Russia. Why wouldn’t they pick Azeri over you guys? Alivey tells Putin off every now and then and is more friendly with NATO member states then Armenia plus oil to Israel doesn’t hurt… Russian support at the UN consisted of other pariah states. Its alone, abonden ship!
No. Things already happened to us, and not once, but many times – starting from genocide in 1915-1920 and then in 1989, 1990 and so on. Nobody cared because it’s not exactly Europe (so who cares about Armenians) and also because Turkey is untouchable – Member of NATO.
No surprise that a number of countries in the global south were unwilling to vote with the US, having been the victims of US aggression.
We remember the White House and the US State Department’s Silence during Azerbaijan’s and NATO-Turkey’s savage attack on Artsakh-Armenians.
We remember America’s silence.
who remembers serbian christians when their country cities bombed for albanians and bosniaks and nat0 carried arabs pakistanis turks jehadist to kill those christian serbians and today all most all christian western countries recognized kosovo and bosnia which is forcefully taken by serbs same goes to lebanon maronite christians who defended them ? who will save lives of armenians suffer in middle east in arab countries ?
One thing I want to make very clear is that both Russian and Ukrainian governments are wrong. It is a deadlock situation. The people of each country has been fed lots of lies and hate each other. What makes it worse is that Russians and Ukrainians are brothers unlike Armenians and Azeris. Both cabinets are not doing anything for their people. The question is who are these cabinets working for? There appears to be a third party that is benefiting from it. You got to logically come to the conclusion here.
The hell with them all, and you if you defend either side. Ukrainians celebrated on the streets of Baku with fireworks when Azerbaijan defeated Armenians and the Ukrainian president Mr.Zelensky, congratulated Aliyev for winning the war against Armenians.
Ukraine is an enemy of Armenia. They are allied with turkey and azerbaijan. Any Armenian supporting the Ukraine is in effect anti Armenian.
And Russia signing a military pact with Azerbaijan isn’t?
It’s a huge mistake that for the past eight (!) years Armenians have been silent on Ukrainian atrocities committed by Ukrainian army and neonazi militias against Ukrainian citizens in Donbas region of Ukraine!
13,000 Ukrainian citizens were killed during this time by their own government just because they did not approve the western backed and orchestrated overthrow of their legitimate government. Children, women, elderly. For years under constant bombardments, hiding in their basements, with no water, electricity. And the world was silent.
Here is the truth and I can prove it: Donbas is Ukrainian Artsakh and Ukraine is Azerbaijan. Who are you going to support?!
Ukrainian neonazi fought in the first Artsakh liberation war against Armenians on the side of Turks. Did you know that? CNN and Fox News would not tell you that. Ukrainian pilots were flying Azeri bombers and dropping bombs on Artsakh towns. Some of them were shot down, captured and interviewed with clips available on YouTube. Ukraine is #12 world largest exporter of weapons. Who do you think bought their weapons, Norway or Azerbaijan? During the last war in Artsakh Ukrainian military cargo planes were flying to Azerbaijan every day delivering death to Armenians.
Now go ahead and display their YellowBlueVase flag in support of Ukrainian neonazi murderers because CNN or Fox News told you so.
But of course, your top man, Putin, has been exceptionally expert in geopolitical and military affairs. He let Turkey ( NATO member ) enter into Russia’s backyard , Nagorno-Karabakh, without firing a shot. Next, 40-mile long Russian military convoy stranded inside Ukraine and don’t seem to be moving. My guess is they got stuck at McDonald’s drive-thru, since they lack food and fuel. To top it off, Putin’s top general was killed yesterday by Ukrainian sniper. As US President, Biden, said,” the worst has yet to come for Putin”. It sure is, Vlad is Now,most definitely a, Cornered Rat.
LOL, you think Putin fears Biden?
The USA embarrassed itself last year with the pathetic evacuation from Afghanistan.
Russia has not even used its full power yet.
The USA bombed Iraq more indiscriminately than Putin has been doing in Ukraine.
Russia is the victim, not the aggressor. This is all one needs to know about Western powers, Russia and Ukraine:
https://www.bitchute.com/video/L9JRSemBYawk/
Armenians cheering for Russia should be ashamed of themselves, especially after what Putin as done to us!
Nah, Alex, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Supporting NATO imperialism because your local news channel demonizes Putin nonstop.
I don’t even like him, but the self righteousness that people like Biden and Boris Johnson speak with is just more annoying.
K, if you support the country that has a military pact with Azerbaijan and supports Aliyev’s adventurism in Caucasus, then you are not Armenian.
CA, everyone is laughing at the poor logistics of the Russian military. Your a tool. RT is lying to you. Research independant information. Russian losses are great and not a few hundred. Russian AF is also proven rubbish. War is not like flying at MAKS. When Putin starts crying about nuclear weapons you know its going bad. Yeah I am owning conventionally but I will launch nuclear weapons anyways. Also he blocked war statistics from being shown unless its approved by his office. Get out of here! At K, we did beat the Russians 3 times as a crumbling empire. Now our populations are more evenly matched. Russian population is also ageing hard. “As a Turk you shouldn’t be commenting…” Yeah look I am 41 and not 141. I wasn’t around during WW1. I wasn’t there… I don’t even hurt spiders, ants.
That’s like saying, “I never owned slaves, so, it doesn’t matter that I am reaping the benefits of systemic racism.”.
No, you did not.
Russia was eating your country whole leading up to WW1, and you were saved multiple times by the British.
Save us your tough guy look, lol.
When 5000 Armenians were dying in Karabakh Ukrainians were celebrating. Westerners did not even lift a finger to help. Nikol Pashinyan could careless about Karabakh. Love them or hate them but it was Russians that got involved and stopped a second genocide. Let Russians do to Ukraine what they need to. Besides most of Ukraine today’s is historic Russia. It was broken away from the Russian Empire by the anti-Russian Bolsheviks. Before we Armenians ask Putin to correct the wrongs of Armenia’s history, we need support Putin in trying to correct the wrongs of Russia’s history.
Never forget that Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Western powers AND Ukraine are Armenia’s enemies on the world stage. Our leader’s foolish complimentary politics exposed Armenia to the dangers of the world by keeping Armenia distant from Russia. Had Armenia been in a union with Russia like Belarus the second Karabakh war would have been won by Armenian and Russian forces. No doubt about that. We should not be afraid of a union with Russia. That is the only safe war forward for Armenia in a place like the Caucasus. The funniest thing is, those who say Armenia has to keep “independence” are the ones who are trying to make Armenia into vassals of Turkey and the West. Only way to protect Armenia and what we have left of Karabakh is by a union with Russia. Period.
Perfectly said, completely agree. Sadly not a lot of people can see the reality.
who remembers serbian christians when their country cities bombed for albanians and bosniaks and nat0 carried arabs pakistanis turks jehadist to kill those christian serbians and today all most all christian western countries recognized kosovo and bosnia which is forcefully taken by serbs same goes to lebanon maronite christians who defended them ? who will save lives of armenians suffer in middle east in arab countries ?
Armenians are too far down on the food chain to have any enemies on the world stage.
Why are there still Armenians who think NATO did not back the assault on Artsakh? Anyone still think Turkey did not get the greenlight from NATO including the world’s super power, our beloved USA, who would never harm poor Christian Armenians? How else did they coordinate the media blackout and strange pro-Azeri narrative and gaslighting. They had plans for Armenia for many years and was infiltrated since independence. It’s hilarious watching organizations like ANCA begging the US for humanitarian aid after 2 years and questioning why Azerbaijan is getting millions for military aid, still asleep and can’t fathom that NATO/US is not really our friends. While Turkey and Azeri forces were preparing the assault, our wise Armenian organizations were busy focusing on BLM – remember that?? Now we are being lectured on Ukraine! What happened to our old Armenian organizations that would act based on the BEST interests of Armenia and Armenians??? Pathetic. Due to the current borders of Armenia, her only hope for a independent or at least semi-independent future is Russia. That is the reality. The West wants Armenia removed in a few decades… WAKE UP.
I don’t understand why people are arguing here over things that are irrelevant. We all know the hypocrosies of the West, and basically the whole world. Just look at every country on earth, they will violate international law on Monday and on Tuesday they will criticize another country for violating it. Turkey supports Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity but illegally occupies Cyprus. The US does not recognize the breakaway states like Donetsk but not only recognises Kosovo, it actually moved its army for them, while it did not do so for Ukraine. I can give countless examples, and we are talking about big countries who still do not care about anything except their national interests. We are a small nation of three million, it does not matter what we personally think,supporting Russia or Ukraine wont affect the conflict, and Armenia’s official reaction is the best outcome there is. We always look at Israel as a role model due to similar circumstances but quite different outcomes, what did Israel do? All their strong ties are with the West, and their PM was at the Kremlin talking with Putin, did the US sanction Israel? No they didnt, because it is not in their interests, we should be strong ourselves and have our interests be linked with those of both the West and the East so that every country will think twice before attacking us. Only then we will be truly independent. Yes it is because of Russia we still have a part of Artsakh, but can you give an honest answer, what will Russia say if Azerbaijan offers to join CSTO in exchange for all of Artsakh? You know it, Putin might even give them Syunik as a gift. Dont waste your time on irrelevant topics, we have nothing to do except to strengthen our nation.
Abris.
I’m a little confused. Armenians who want the world to weep for atrocities committed over a hundred years ago can show compassion and empathy for human suffering today.
I’m a little confused. Americans who want the world to weep for atrocities supposedly committed by Russian in Ukraine were the ones committing atrocities around the world for the past 30 years, thereby setting the stage to this war. I’m a little confused. Were you this worried when Ukrainian forces were shelling the Donbass for the past 8 years, causing thousands of deaths? I’m a little confused. Were you this worried when Nagorno Karabakh was attacked by Azerbaijan and NATO, or did you not even know it was happening? I’m a little confused. Why you would you come here and talk nonsense about a topic you know nothing about? Or do you have a political agenda? Russia’s war in Ukraine is justified. Ukraine is a cesspool of anti-Russian and anti-Armenian extremism. Western and Turkish interests have to be thrown out of the country. There has to be a “regime change” in Kiev. Russia will surly win this war. So take your strawman argument elsewhere.
Gurgen, you do sound confused. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, including by Armenia. Azerbaijan had every right to reclaim its occupied land. If you have an issue with that take it up with Stalin, you seem to have an affinity towards blood-hungry dictators. As far as NATO getting involved, why would they? Nagorno-Karabakh is not recognized, let alone as a member of NATO. Also, keep in mind your dear peace-loving Russians armed the Azeris along with the Israelis.
Even having said that the US and NATO along with Iran called for a cease-fire in that region. If Russia had an issue with the war, why didn’t they side with NK? As far as the invasion of Ukraine is justified, you are plan wrong. There is nothing more to say about that. Russia will surely win the war? Once again you are wrong, Russia has already lost the war. The Ukrainian people will never capitulate. Putin’s delusional attack has united the West and NATO as it has never been united before. Now that Ukraine has gotten millions of dollars, arms, and support for its refugees from the west they will never turn towards Russia. Russia’s economy is collapsing in front of its people’s eyes. Putin’s own oligarchs are slowly turning on him as their yachts are being seized and their wealth is being frozen. Armenia is a great country with amazing people and culture, most Armenians, like Ukraine and Russians, want to live in peace, and not to be at the mercy of a madman who dreams of Soviet greatness, newsflash it was never great. Go in peace.
Wilson,
Your cognitive dissonance, political ignorance, double talk and hypocrisy is very typical these days.
Gurgen didn’t mention anything about him wanting or expecting NATO to come to Karabakh’s aid. You are conveniently forgetting that Turkey is major NATO power. Russia therefore saved Karabakh from NATO. What Armenians like Gurgen and I are asking is: where was the Western world’s “humanitarian concern”, “outrage” and 24/7 media coverage when Karabakh was being viciously attacked by Azerbaijan and NATO?
The same of course goes for Western crimes against Serbia, Iraq, Syria, Libya, etc.
History lesson: It was the British and their agent in Moscow, Lenin, that gave Karabakh to Azerbaijan. It was Stalin that later allowed Karabakh to exist as a semi-autonomous territory. It was Stalin that made Armenia into a Soviet republic in 1936. But, it’s okay. I know Americans are bad in history and geography. Let’s move on.
Breaking news: The war in Ukraine will soon be over with a historic Russian victory. All of eastern Ukraine will go back to Mother Russia. Western Ukraine will be demilitarized and turned over to Europeans, so that they can turn it into a wonderful multicultural, borderless, Godless, liberal and corrupt cesspit.
Regarding Uncle Sam’s blackmailing abilities over the world in the post Second World War period: The economic and financial sanctions against Russia will in the long-term hurt the United States much more than it will hurt Russia. Why? Because this kind of double standards and hysterical behavior will force nations of this world to lessen their exposure to the Western financial system. More and more countries will diversify their financial and economic assets in the coming years in order to buffer them against Western aggression. The process has already started. In the end, it’s the Western world that will suffer a collapse.
Imperial hubris and political illiteracy has a high price, and you will be paying it in due time. Trust me. Remember my words and come back in a year or so, to continue this conversation…
Michael Wilson,
That’s a fallacy. First of all, the so-called republic of Azerbaijan, a gas station disguised as a country, itself was artificially invented on occupied Armenian territories in 1918 by the Soviets and their criminal Turkish collaborators when the Ottoman Empire was defeated in WWI. It was invented for the homeless Caucasian Muslim Tatars and renamed to Azerbaijan only in 1936 despite protest by the Iranians having provinces in the northwest with same name. This gas station was invented as a Turkish outpost in the South Caucasus, a little Turkey if you will, to pursue fascist pan-Turkic agenda and as a base for Soviet expansion into Persia and the Middle East.
At the time when the ancient Armenian province of Artsakh, under its falsified and Turkified name of karabakh, along with the ancient Armenian province of Nakhijevan, were illegally transferred to artificial Azerbaijan, neither Turkey nor Soviet Union were recognized as legitimate states by international communities. The same is true with the so-called Moscow treaty thus making all these territorial seizures and transfers illegitimate and illegal and the treaties null and void. Furthermore, in 1991 when the artificial Azerbaijan republic declared its independence from the collapsed Soviet Union, considered itself as a successor state to the first artificial Azerbaijani republic of 1918 and NOT a successor state to the artificial Soviet Azerbaijan SSR republic invented in 1921 and these two occupied ancient Armenian provinces were NOT part of the first Azerbaijani republic.
Let’s use some common sense here. How can an enemy artificial state allow a big chunk of “its territory”, Artsakh that is, be populated by 95% Armenian population (in 1921 down to 75% in 1988) when the enemy policy towards Armenians had always been to depopulate the region from indigenous Armenians and remove and destroy any evidence validating the Armenian existence there for thousands of years such as the 2005 desecration and destruction of the 1,300 year old Armenian cemetery in Julfa? The only way this could happen is if the boundaries of artificial Azerbaijan SSR were artificially extended to include occupied Armenian territories. Today, the very same hypocritical international communities, as you claim consider occupied Armenian territories as Azerbaijani, are heavily invested in the Caspian oil and gas industry and naturally will make all kinds of fake claims to protect their investments.
Last but not least, these illegal territorial transfers took place under Soviet Union which no longer exists. When the Soviet Union came to an end so did the illegal occupation of these Armenian territories by the enemy. As artificial Azerbaijan declared its independence from the disintegrated Soviet Union so did Artsakh claim its independence from artificial Azerbaijan SSR jurisdiction. To this day and since the invention of the artificial Azerbaijan, the Armenian territory of Artsakh has never been a part of “independent” Azerbaijan!
Concerned Armenian, I won’t return in kind your Ad hominem attacks. All I can say is your whataboutism argument boring and lazy. I will let time see who is correct on this matter.
Hey Mike. get a clue. When does the lies end? “Azerbaijan” is ancient Armenian and Iranian lands that was western European banking funded for investments in newly found oil in Baku, basically a made up gas station nation in 1918, that was gifted via the treaty of Kars by the defunked Soviet Union to Asian invading Turkish tribes as a “gift”. Ever hear of the Armenian genocide? When do Turks return those lands and the money stolen? Why not jump on that moral reality? Oh someone like yourself who is a racist anti Armenian, historical revisionist to boot, would never be on that side of TRUTH.
There are two principles –often in conflict– in both the Artsakh & Crimean/Donbas/ situations and in several other areas. There is also an issue that involves both Artsakh & Crimea and other ex-Soviet places.The issue is why people today should honor the inner borders of the old USSR. Crimea was not Ukrainian-populated when the post-Stalin govt of USSR under Khrushchov reassigned the Krim from Russia to Ukraine in order supposedly to placate the Ukrainians who hated the Soviets/Bolsheviks and had often shown that hatred by collaborating with Germans in WW2. Likewise, Karabakh/Artsakh was assigned by the USSR to Azerbaidjan although it had a solid Armenian majority. Should the old Soviet Communist internal borders be honored today? Armenians should frame the issue with that question when pleading for Artsakh in the West.
The two principles that I brought up above are: 1) the territorial integrity of states; 2) self-determination.
In the case of Artsakh, the West seems to support Azeri territorial integrity over self-determination for the Artsakh Armenians. However, in Kossovo, the West supported self-determination for Kossovo Albanians over Serbian territorial integrity. The list can go on.
Likewise, the EuroHypocrites seem to nicely accomodate themselves to Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus. But falsely accuse Israel of “occupying” the Judea-Samaria region which the League of Nations had assigned to the Jewish National Home in 1922. And the EU & USA [under Biden] say that Jews should not dwell in the heartland of the Land of Israel, Judea-Samaria, thus attempting to impose apartheid against Jews in the Land of Israel.
If you expect the West to stand for principles, you are mightily naive.
Armenia will be wiped out by Azerbaijanis if Russia is angered by Yerevan standing with Ukraine. Poor Armenia. It has to keep kissing butts to survive