Russia has not received any requests from Armenia to withdraw its military base from Gyumri — Russian Foreign Ministry

Russia has not received any requests from Armenia to withdraw the Russian military base from Gyumri and continues to consider it an important element of the security of the republic and the South Caucasus, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Izvestia.

"We have not received any requests from the Armenian side regarding the withdrawal of the Russian military base stationed in Gyumri. We continue to proceed from the premise that it is an important element of the security architecture of Armenia and the South Caucasus," the high-ranking Russian diplomat said.

As Galuzin noted, the topic of the Russian military presence is currently being actively discussed in Armenia's social and political space, however Moscow does not yet see any real alternative to it.

"Many quite rightly ask the question: what is the alternative? In our view, none can be seen today. Frankly speaking, it is hard to imagine French soldiers, for example, in this role. If only because of France's geographical remoteness from Armenia," the deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out.

At the same time, Russia is ready to discuss the continuation of cooperation with Armenia in the sphere of defense and security, including within the framework of the "inventory" of bilateral relations proposed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Galuzin added.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is ready to withdraw its military personnel from Armenia if Yerevan makes such a request. Pashinyan later said that Armenia would not object if Moscow itself made the corresponding decision.

It should be noted that after the meeting of the leaders of Russia and Armenia, Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan, on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, the topic of the presence of the Russian military base in Gyumri was included in the agenda of the upcoming Russian-Armenian talks in Moscow.

The 102nd Russian military base is stationed in Armenia under the 1995 interstate treaty between Moscow and Yerevan. On August 20, 2010, Russia and Armenia extended the term of the treaty on the stationing of the base until 2044. The air component of the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri is the Erebuni air base, stationed in Yerevan.

Source: Sputnik Armenia