Balance, not abandonment - Expert warns against cutting ties with  Russia

ArmInfo. No one in Armenia is against developing ties with Europe, but this shouldn't come at the expense of its partnership with Russia, as stated by Artur Khachikyan. Stanford University professor and PhD in Political  Science. 

"While this regime was talking about a fabulous 'crossroads of  peace,' which later became the Zangezur Corridor, then TRIPP (Trump's  Route for International Peace and Prosperity), and ultimately led to  nothing, Abkhazia is taking concrete steps to unblock rail traffic  between Abkhazia, Georgia, and Armenia, as well as constructing a  container terminal in Ochamchira, which will establish the most  efficient transport corridor linking the Russian market with  exporters from Armenia and Georgia," the expert wrote on his Telegram  channel.

According to him, this corridor will ease congestion in Upper Lars,  making transport flows more stable and reliable, and less dependent  on weather conditions. The expert recalled that the terminal was  successfully tested in 2025, with test vessel calls successful, and  preparations are now underway to open rail and sea transport links.  "This is a true crossroads, or corridor of peace, that would allow  Armenian businesses to quickly, reliably, and relatively  inexpensively deliver their products to their main market, Russia,  where over 40% of Armenian exports go. Trade between Russia and  Armenia has grown severalfold in the past few years, reaching a  record $14 billion in 2025 thanks to EAEU membership and free access  to the Russian market," Khachikyan continued.

In his words, instead of severing existing economic ties and sawing  off the branch on which one is sitting, it would be good to preserve  and restore what one already has, and add even more. "And no one is  against developing ties with Europe. But this should be done in  addition to ties with Russia, not instead of them, and certainly, not  harm Armenian businesses and the people of Armenia, at the behest of  the foreign masters of this regime. Armenia should prioritize its own  interests, not those of third powers," the political scientist added.

 Khachikyan is confident that economics and trade should not beheld  hostage by politics, especially the politics of confrontation and the  manipulation of small nations by major powers. "The Armenians, more  than most, know this. And for those who have forgotten, I think their  comrades from Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia,  and other Middle Eastern countries, with their blazing oil  infrastructure, will remind them how this ends," the political  scientist concluded. 

It should be noted that, according to the RA Statistics Committee,  foreign trade turnover between Armenia and the EAEU countries  decreased by 36.9% in 2025, exceeding $8 billion. Export volumes fell  by 5% to $3.2 billion, while imports declined by 48.5% to $4.8  billion. Mutual trade with Russia during the reporting period  declined by 38.3%, amounting to $7.6 billion. Exports declined by  6.9% to $2.9 billion, while imports fell by 49.2% to $4.7 billion.