Pashinyan Has Decided To Recall Armenia's Ambassador To Russia

This decision is final and cannot be reviewed.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has decided to recall the republic’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia, Gurgen Arsenyan, according to informed sources cited by the Armenian newspaper "Zhogovurd". According to them, Pashinyan is dissatisfied with the ambassador’s diplomatic efforts, as he has been unable to ease tensions in relations between Yerevan and Moscow. At this point, it is unclear who will replace Arsenyan, but the decision to recall him is final and not subject to review, the sources told “Zhogovurd.”

Arsenyan was appointed ambassador to Russia in August 2024, succeeding Vagarshak Arutyunyan in that post. Prior to that, he served as a member of the republic’s parliament representing the ruling “Civic Contract” faction. Relations between Russia and Armenia have deteriorated due to Yerevan’s plans to join the European Union. Since May, Moscow has consistently banned imports of various Armenian products, including alcohol, vegetables, fruits, fish, milk, and flowers. The first Russian bans on the import and transit of Armenian goods appeared shortly before the republic’s parliamentary elections on June 7, and after Pashinyan’s party won, the number of bans increased sharply.

Armenia deemed the restrictions unfounded and called for the issue to be resolved on the basis of existing treaties. Meanwhile, Russian authorities insisted that the measures were necessitated by the need to ensure consumer safety. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry demanded that Yerevan hold a referendum on choosing between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), as well as resume fulfilling its financial obligations to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), its participation in which Armenia had suspended in 2024.

In response to Moscow’s actions, Yerevan began redirecting its exports to other markets, including the European market. At the same time, the EU allocated 52 million euros in emergency aid to Armenia to “strengthen economic resilience” and reorient exports. Brussels also announced the elimination of tariffs on nearly 80% of Armenian goods. As a result, in the first six months of 2026, Armenia increased its exports to EU countries by 80%—to $516 million, up from $287 million a year earlier.

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