The Russians have for decades guarded Armenia’s borders with Iran and Turkey. The Armenian government has so far announced no plans to seek their departure despite its decision last year to push them out of the sole Armenian-Iranian border crossing and Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport made amid a deepening rift with Moscow.
Talk of the Russian withdrawal intensified after the signing on January 14 of the charter of a newly established U.S.-Armenia Strategic Partnership Commission. The charter’s section on defense and security says that the U.S. “intends to support the capacity building of the Armenian Border Guard Service and State Revenue Committee.” This assistance is designed to “combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and dangerous technologies through … effective enforcement of export controls.”
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Washington, outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a U.S. “customs and border patrol team” will visit Armenia for that purpose in the coming weeks.
“The issue mentioned by the secretary of state was about increasing the effectiveness of our border control, not about any sensitive aspects with this or that country,” Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovannisian told reporters in Yerevan. “It has always been done by a third country. We should finally be able to control our border ourselves.”
Asked whether the Russian border guards could leave Armenia as a result of that “capacity building,” Hovannisian said: “Of course, in an ideal world, every country should be able to control its borders. And that [U.S.] support is about increasing our capabilities through sharing relevant experience.”
Some Armenian opposition lawmakers expressed concern about the possible Russian withdrawal even before the signing of the U.S.-Armenian document on “strategic partnership.” One of them, Tigran Abrahamian, argued in October that the Russian military presence has long served as a “deterrent” against possible Turkish invasion of Armenia or military pressure on it. He said it has also enabled the country to use the bulk of its scarce military and security resources in the conflict with Azerbaijan.
The charter was signed almost one year after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian froze Armenia’s membership in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). While Russia’s official reaction to its signing was rather cautious, senior Russian lawmakers issued stern warnings to Yerevan. Grigory Karasin, chairman of the foreign relations committee of Russia’s upper house of parliament, said it could have “unexpected and complex consequences for this country [Armenia] and its people.”
