YEREVAN
\nThe EU\u2019s top diplomat Kaja Kallas urged Armenia to protect its democratic values amid \u201chybrid threats\u201d from Russia on a visit to Yerevan on Monday.
\nTies between Armenia and its traditional ally Russia have been strained since Azerbaijan\u2019s 2023 offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh, in which Moscow did not intervene.
\nRussia has for years been the main mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan. But Brussels has played a stronger role recently, with Russia tied up with its Ukraine invasion.
\nKallas visited several days after Armenia arrested a powerful cleric accused of plotting a coup against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
\nShe said she discussed \u201cRussia\u2019s aggression against Ukraine and specifically Russian hybrid activities in all countries\u201d with Armenia\u2019s foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
\n\u201cArmenia\u2019s commitment to democracy and freedom is key. These values must be protected, especially in the face of hybrid threats, disinformation, and foreign interference,\u201d she said.
\nMirzoyan warned Moscow against interfering in its internal political affairs after the arrest of powerful cleric Bagrat Galstanyan.
\nBut speaking in Kyrgyzstan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Armenia against turning away from Moscow and against \u201cattacks on the canonical, millennia-old Armenian Apostolic Church.\u201d
\n\u201cWe do not put any pressure on Armenian authorities, we will wait for clarity on all these issues,\u201d Lavrov said according to Russian news agencies.
\n\u201cBut we all understand that if Armenia turns away from its allies, its closest partners and neighbors, it will hardly be in the interests of the Armenian people,\u201d he added.
\nMirzoyan said Lavrov \u201cwould do better not to interfere in Armenia\u2019s internal affairs and domestic politics,\u201d calling on Russian officials to \u201cshow greater respect for the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia.\u201d
\nKallas said \u201cthe EU and Armenia have never been as close as we are now.\u201d
\nShe announced a new EU-Armenia partnership and a 270-million-euro \u201cresilience and growth plan for 2024-2027.\u201d She also welcomed Armenia\u2019s move to initiate an EU accession process earlier this year.
\nKallas re-affirmed the EU\u2019s support to normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
YEREVAN The EU\u2019s top diplomat Kaja Kallas urged Armenia to protect its democratic values amid \u201chybrid threats\u201d from Russia on a visit to Yerevan on Monday. Ties between Armenia and its traditional ally Russia have been strained since Azerbaijan\u2019s 2023 offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh, in which Moscow did not intervene. Russia has for years been the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-487672","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n