2024-04-19 07:35:21
Russia expects a clear reaction from Armenia regarding the information about “military-political agreements” with the USA and the EU, which appeared in the media, the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said at a briefing, as quoted by TASS.
“Earlier, Yerevan publicly assured that the development of cooperation with Western countries is not directed against third countries. Taking into account the totality of these factors, we expect a clear reaction from the Armenian authorities to the information that has appeared. And ideally – to reject these statements”, Zakharova said on the occasion of the meeting between Armenia, the USA and the EU, which took place in Brussels on April 5, and the announcements of agreements reached in the military-political sphere, BTA reported.
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turns out that US and EU representatives in Brussels have indeed imposed plans on Yerevan that include replacing Russian border guards with specialists from the US, NATO and the EU, ” expanding the subversive activity of the West” along Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan and Iran and reorienting Armenia’s critical infrastructure and energy system with the dismantling of the Metsamor NPP.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, EC President Ursula von der Leyen, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell met in Brussels on April 5, TASS recalls. Von der Leyen said that over the next four years, the EU will provide Armenia with 270 million euros in grants.
In a statement after the meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged Yerevan “not to allow the West to deceive itself and lead Armenia down the wrong path.” The diplomatic service noted that Russia views the meeting “as another attempt by the collective West to drag the South Caucasus into a geopolitical confrontation.”
In addition, Zakharova added that Russia would not reveal in advance its retaliatory actions in case of confiscation of its assets located in the West, but “no one is going to show up in case of attempts to use Russian reserves as collateral for bonds, which could allegedly be issued by the West in order to attract private capital to finance the Kyiv regime”.
There is a significant amount of Western funds and property in Russia under Russian jurisdiction “that could be subject to retaliation,” she added.
“All natural persons, funds that decide to acquire such financial instruments will be the first candidates to fall under counter-sanctions, with serious consequences for the prospects of their international activity,” added the spokeswoman of the foreign ministry.