The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, on Monday warned leaders of potential EU member states against attending the Russian parade on May 9 and said they should show solidarity with Ukraine instead. Although Armenia has not yet officially applied for membership in the EU, its parliament passed recently a government-backed bill declaring the “start of a process” of the country’s accession to the bloc.
“That victory is also our victory, 300,000 Armenians died [in the Second World War,]” Simonian told reporters. “It’s one of our proudest days, and I think the prime minister’s participation cannot have anything to do with the EU and other things. Many EU leaders visit Russia, meet and negotiate with the Russian president.”
“So should Armenia put everything aside just because suddenly an EU official could … That is their view, this is ours,” he said.
Pashinian confirmed his attendance of the May 9 parade in a March 14 phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The announcement underscored Yerevan’s apparent efforts to ease unprecedented tensions with Moscow which looks set to benefit from geopolitical shifts generated by the new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump. Pashinian’s government had minimized diplomatic and other contacts with the Russians and reoriented its foreign policy towards the West since 2022.
Simonian did not deny that the changing international landscape influenced Pashinian’s decision to fly to Moscow for the Victory Day celebrations.
“Every year the world and reality change a lot, and we can't compare,” said. “For example, next year we may not be able to participate [in the annual Russian parade.]”