Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that Armenia does not need Russia’s 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, while adding that Yerevan has never asked Moscow to withdraw it. His comments followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks in Bishkek earlier this month that Moscow would remove the base if Armenia no longer wanted it. The installation, which hosts an estimated 3,000 Russian troops, has long symbolized Moscow’s security role in the South Caucasus. Relations have deteriorated as Armenia reassesses its reliance on Russia and deepens ties with the European Union. Yerevan’s distrust grew after Azerbaijan retook Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, and Armenia later froze its participation in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, saying the alliance had failed to meet its security obligations. Pashinyan has also signaled that Armenia may seek EU membership. TVP World examined Armenia’s broader shift away from Moscow’s orbit. His government’s 2026–2031 program no longer describes Russia as a strategic partner, instead calling for transformed and deeper bilateral ties.
