Putin is looking for allies: will Armenia send its troops to Ukraine/Getty Images
< strong _ngcontent-sc86="">I am constantly in contact with representatives of the Armenian government, with groups of influence in the country – they are all unambiguously against Russian military aggression and on the side of Ukraine. It's just that they are not yet able to demonstrate it as brightly as we want in Kyiv. Read more in the exclusive blog for Channel 24 website.
Armenia may abstain from voting at the UN platform when making decisions that are beneficial for Russia, but it is simply impossible to break off relations now. Despite this, I am sure that no one will approve the sending of Armenian troops to Ukraine on the side of the aggressor.
Is Armenia ready to go against Ukraine
The authorities and the population are against this, with the exception of a couple of marginal pro-Russian groups, such as the “Armenian Eagles” group, whose representatives in the country do not even want to shake hands.
At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia appealed to Armenia to support such actions as Belarus did, but Nikol Pashinyan did not take such a step and will not take it. Otherwise, he will not be able to be the country's prime minister.
I hope that the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization – Channel 24) will not become Putin's tool in the war against Ukraine, since not everyone surrendered their national interests, as it did Belarus. Kazakhstan frankly condemns the aggression, Armenia also opposes, confirming the position with its actions.
Conscious members of the CSTO understand that they may be next, and Russia's imperialist ambitions are not limited to Ukraine. Nobody wants to help a country that tomorrow may come to your home with weapons.
The CSTO discredits itself
Although during his visit to Russia, Nikol Pashinyan invited Putin to attend the CSTO summit in the second half 2022, such a gesture is more symbolic. After such actions by Russia, the CSTO will soon completely discredit itself as an effective and fair security body and will cease to function.
There are pro-Russian sentiments among the local population in Armenia, because propaganda is active and the common Soviet past affects. However, the conscious population, which is the overwhelming majority, opposes the war. Someone can show their position more actively by going to rallies and protests, someone does not show their support due to passivity, someone hides behind a screen of conditional neutrality.
I am convinced that the population and the government do not will allow Armenia to be dragged into the war, no matter how Russia wants it.
