Armenia has informed Russia through official channels about the necessity of withdrawing Russian border guards from Yerevan international airport Zvartnots. Armen Grigoryan, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, stated this during a conversation with journalists on March 6.
"Regarding the presence of Russian border guards at Zvartnots airport, Armenia has a clear position, and the Russian Federation has been informed about this clear position through an official letter. Armenia's position is that our border troops should fully carry out border control at Zvartnots Airport," he said.
Grigoryan did not directly respond to a question about whether Armenia is considering applying for EU membership, the possibility of which was not ruled out earlier by the speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan. "Armenia is discussing various issues; various issues are on the agenda, and we will continue discussing all existing directions and issues," said Armen Grigoryan.
Earlier on March 6, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking about the withdrawal of Russian border guards from Zvartnots airport, said, "As far as we understand, no decisions have been made on this issue. And no one has passed these decisions to us through official channels."
The possibility of withdrawing Russian border guards from Yerevan's airport was first announced by the Speaker of the Armenian National assembly, Alen Simonyan, during a conversation with journalists on February 27.
"I believe it would be right if they (the border guards) left from there. This is my personal opinion. We will defend the borders of our country, but I'm not sure they will defend the borders of our country," said Simonyan, thereby confirming the rumors spread by the media about the imminent withdrawal of Russian border guards from Yerevan's airport.
The statement about the withdrawal of Russian border guards comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions in Armenian-Russian relations.
Russian border guards are stationed in Armenia under an interstate agreement concluded on September 30, 1992. According to this document, they serve at the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Iranian borders, as well as at a separate checkpoint at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan. Additionally, the country hosts the 102nd Russian military base, part of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces.
