Opinion: Over past eight years, Armenian authorities have taken no  effective steps against Russia`s vital interests in the region

ArmInfo.  Over the past eight years, the Armenian authorities have taken no effective steps against Russia's vital interests in the region and in Armenia, according to Americanist Suren Sargsyan.

The expert recalled that Armenia remains a member of the CSTO and the  EAEU, Russia remains Armenia's largest trading partner, the Armenian  nuclear power plant continues to be maintained jointly with Russia,  and a Russian military base remains stationed in Armenia.

According to him, therefore, claims of sovereignty and steps to rid  Armenia of Russian influence are, at a minimum, groundless. "As for  the verbal disputes taking place at the lower and mid-levels, they  are purely rhetorical. At the highest levels, however, relations are  quite warm, and contacts are active-incidentally, such relations have  not existed with the pro-European leaders of Ukraine and Georgia.  Therefore, I would not call the Armenian authorities anti-Russian,  and I would not say that the Russian authorities will hinder the  reproduction of the current Armenian government," Sargsyan wrote on  his Facebook page.

He added that he would not be surprised if, after the elections, the  Russian president is one of the first, if not the first, to  congratulate the Armenian authorities on their victory.