Relationship dossier
Armenia
Russia
Relationship assessment
A longstanding security and economic partnership has faced growing strain over regional security and Armenia’s CSTO participation.
Armenia toward Russia
+15Armenia has maintained its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and its participation in Russia-led security arrangements, while hosting Russian forces. In 2024, Armenia announced that it was freezing participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with the organization’s security role.
Russia toward Armenia
+20Russia has maintained a military base in Armenia and deployed border guards there under bilateral arrangements. Following the 2020 ceasefire over Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia deployed peacekeepers to the region. Their subsequent withdrawal, amid Azerbaijan’s 2023 takeover of the territory, contributed to Armenian dissatisfaction with Russia’s security role.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship has been structured by sustained security and economic cooperation, including Russia’s military presence and Armenia’s participation in the Eurasian Economic Union. Disputes over the effectiveness of Russian-led security arrangements and Russia’s role during the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis have weakened the partnership, without ending its established bilateral ties.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Armenia and Russia have maintained a close security and economic relationship, including Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and Russia’s military presence in Armenia. Relations have come under substantial strain over Russia’s role in regional security, particularly after Azerbaijan’s 2023 takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia has frozen participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, while retaining important ties with Russia.
Areas of tension
- Armenia has criticized the failure of Russian-led security arrangements to protect it amid conflict involving Azerbaijan.
- Armenia’s freeze of participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization has strained ties with Russia.
- Armenian dissatisfaction followed the 2023 takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan and the subsequent withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers.
Key developments
Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union.
A Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement led to the deployment of Russian peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia announced that it was freezing participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Russian peacekeepers withdrew from Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan took control of the territory.
Major uncertainties
- The future scope of Armenia’s participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization remains unclear.
- The extent to which Armenia’s security and economic ties with Russia will change is uncertain.