Macron: Russia abandoned Armenia in 2020

ArmInfo. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Russia abandoned Armenia in 2020, when it was facing unprecedented challenges.

It should be noted that on September 27, Azerbaijan unleashed  large-scale aggression against Artsakh. The 44-day war was stopped  only through the personal mediation of Russian President Vladimir  Putin. On November 9, 2020, the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and  Russia signed a statement declaring a cessation of hostilities.  Russia then deployed its peacekeepers to Artsakh. 

Speaking to his French compatriots in the country, Macron stated that  for decades, "we have become accustomed to the fact that Armenia is,  to some extent, a Russian satellite." However, he said, after the  "Velvet Revolution," bold steps were taken to clarify these  relations. He reiterated Frau's earlier statement that the European  Political Community meeting, attended by 40 leaders, would never have  taken place in Yerevan if Armenia's leaders had been in Russia's  hands or were playing ambiguous games with it.  "Armenia has chosen  geopolitical adulthood, escaping this trap and turning toward Europe.  We, the French, must support this choice. That is why the first  EU-Armenia summit will be held here on May 5. We will work to improve  communications, roaming, and border security assistance through  Frontex.

Thousands of Russian soldiers and border guards are still stationed  in Armenia, and Europe must step in to help the country defend its  borders more independently. Let's be realistic: who was there for  Armenia in 2020? France helped as best it could, but Russia wasn't  there. It isn't there for its allies when they have problems be it in  Syria or Mali. In the current geopolitical context, it's best not to  rely too much on Russia. It didn't come to the rescue in 2020, and it  won't come tomorrow, unless it demands a new dependency in return,"  the French leader continued. At the same time, he emphasized that the  current Armenian leadership's choice for peace, despite all the  disappointments and grievances, is the only sensible path to building  a stable Armenia in the 21st century. "This does not negate our  demands in dialogue with Turkey and Azerbaijan: the release of  prisoners, respect for religious and cultural heritage. We achieved  Azerbaijan's recognition of our borders in Prague under the Alma-Ata  Declaration this was essential for stability," he assured.

At the same time, he emphasized that Armenia had survived the war,  won peace, recovered, and is demonstrating extraordinary rates of  economic growth. "The French community plays a full role in this.   Our companies Amundi, Veolia, Pernod Ricard, Bureau Veritas, AXA, and  many others are contributing to this expansion. The French  Development Agency (AFD) has doubled its operations in Armenia since  2023, bringing them to over EUR 800 million. Whether it's water,  communications, or infrastructure, we are your constant partners," he  said, adding that Yerevan and Paris have built a relationship that  never existed before.

He said that after 2020, when many turned their backs on or forgot  about what was happening here, France decided to build military  relations. "Armenia is rebuilding its army: we are assisting,  training, equipping, and advising Armenian soldiers. This is an  innovation in our bilateral relations. We were sometimes reproached  for this by our regional neighbors, sometimes forced to pay for it,  and we were often the only Europeans to do so. But we have always  taken on this responsibility, because these are efforts aimed at  self- defense and protection. Never since Armenia gained independence  have relations between our countries been so intense and trusting.  Never since the 1988 earthquake has French solidarity been so active  and concrete. And we owe this to you teachers, entrepreneurs,  humanitarian workers, artists, observers of the European mission. You  are the masters of these relations," he emphasized.