Russia warns of ‘negative consequences’ after £230m Armenia-EU deal

The Kremlin has threatened Armenia with “negative consequences” after the EU pledged more than £230 million to help it loosen ties with Russia.

Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian prime minister, visited Brussels on Friday, meeting Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, in a display of his country’s diplomatic shift towards the West.

“We will make investments to strengthen Armenia’s economy and society, making them more robust and stable in the face of shocks,” said Ms von der Leyen, pledging the money to “build resilience” among Armenian businesses and society.

After the meeting, the Kremlin accused the West of looking for a “geopolitical confrontation” in the South Caucasus.

Russia’s foreign ministry said attempts by the US and the EU to woo Armenia over the past 18 months were “irresponsible and destructive”.

It said they would “result in the most negative consequences for stability, security and economic development in the region, provoke the emergence of new dividing lines, as well as an uncontrollable increase in tension”.

Azerbaijan accused Armenia of deploying forces along their volatile border after Mr Pashinyan’s Brussels meeting, which Armenia denied.

“Is Armenia following the path of Ukraine or is Armenia being pushed along the path of Ukraine?” askd Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin speechwriter.

Armenia’s relations with Russia have soured since it accused the Kremlin of reneging on pledges to protect it and instead greenlighting an attack last year by Azerbaijan on disputed territory controlled by ethnic Armenians.

The Azerbaijani attack on Nagorno-Karabakh forced Armenia to cede control of the disputed region. Around 120,000 ethnic Armenians fled to Armenia.

Since then, Mr Pashinyan has intensified talks with the West, signed arms deals with France and mounted a diplomatic push that included upgrading its embassy in London from a rented two-room office near Earl’s Court to a Pall Mall townhouse.

This year, Armenian officials have even said they want to quit the Kremlin’s collective security treaty organisation – a military alliance between Russia and several post-Soviet states – and join the EU.