Russia Scolds Ally Armenia For Hosting Zelensky

Russia criticised Armenia for hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a European summit, calling it “incomprehensible” and warning against closer EU ties. The dispute highlights worsening Russia–Armenia relations as Yerevan distances itself from Moscow, freezes CSTO ties, and signals a possible EU path that the Kremlin says could bring serious consequences. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova gestures during Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's annual end-of-year press conference at the Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow on January 20, 2026. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Russia said Thursday that it was “incomprehensible” its ally Armenia hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a European summit earlier this week, and cautioned the country against deeper European integration. Ties between Armenia and its former imperial ruler Moscow have frayed in recent years. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The former Soviet republic froze its membership in the Russian-led CSTO military alliance in 2024 over Russia’s failure to defend it against Azerbaijan, and has expressed an interest in joining the European Union, angering the Kremlin. “Russian society, with deep indignation and bewilderment, not only saw, but above all remembered, the fact that Armenia, which we are accustomed to considering a friendly, fraternal country, had served as a platform. For whom? For a terrorist,” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing. Since launching its full-scale military offensive in February 2022, Russian officials have regularly hurled insults at Zelensky and routinely call Kyiv a “terrorist state” -- outbursts rejected and dismissed in Kyiv as baseless wartime propaganda. “No one in Armenia’s current leadership snubbed Zelensky. So whose side are you on, historically?” she asked. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters Thursday: “Back in 2022-2023 I already stated that, on the issue of Ukraine, we are not an ally of Russia.” Other Topics of Interest International Federation Expels Russian Journalists’ Union Over Kremlin War Ties Russia’s journalists’ union has been expelled from the world’s largest media federation after accusations of supporting occupation structures in Ukraine. Zakharova also criticised a joint declaration that Armenia and the European Union adopted at their summit on Tuesday. The document recognises Yerevan’s aspiration to join the bloc, as well as deepens cooperation between the two sides in economic and security matters. “Such a course on the part of the Armenian authorities will sooner or later lead to Yerevan’s irreversible involvement in Brussels’ anti-Russian line, with all the ensuing political and economic consequences for Armenia,” Zakharova said. The nation of three million people bordering Iran and Turkey passed a law last year formally declaring its intention to apply for EU membership. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Pashinyan in April that Yerevan could not be a member of both the European Union and the Russian-led customs bloc.