Long-awaited peace talks between Armenia and Russia have reportedly collapsed, as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan decided to boycott meetings in the “capital city of Russia” aimed at participating in talks with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the CSTO. Pashinyan had previously missed EEU and CSTO meetings in October and November. Russian political analyst Sergey Markedonov shared this news on social media. During a recent press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally blamed Pashinyan for the absence in these meetings, although he did not mention the resolution of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Aleksey Lukashevich, former Belarus ambassador to Russia, has taken on the role of “mediator” between Russia and Armenia. After answering questions in Saint Petersburg, Lukashevich explained that Pashinyan’s absence was due to his inability to travel to Minsk. He also denied having a meeting with the Prime Minister. While the CSTO and EEU are connected in terms of work, Lukashevich emphasized that the military bloc is ready to continue participating in the integration processes, with its primary obligations lying in the defense field.

Recently, concerns have arisen on both sides about the escalation of violence in conflict zones, Yerevan’s external political dynamics shifting towards the West, and Armenia’s move towards Eurasian entry. On November 30, Benjamin Kolomeykin, the special representative of the NUE and sub-regional representative in the South Caucasus, announced Yerevan’s intention to withdraw from the organization. Although Moscow praised this approach, some have raised concerns about a potential arms race with the opening of the Eastern Partnership. Despite the visible disagreements, it seems that both Russia and Armenia want to avoid exacerbating the situation and bring an end to the debates.