Armenia Asks for Partnership with US as Belarus Joins Russia-Led Regional Bloc

As Armenia seeks to extricate itself from Russia’s sphere of influence, Belarus joins the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, further cementing ties with Moscow.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addresses parliament in Yerevan—following an escalation in hostilities with Azerbaijan—on Sept. 13, 2022. Tigran Mehrabyan/PAN Photo via Reuters

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called for boosting relations between his country—a nominal Russian ally—and the United States to the level of a “strategic partnership.”

In a July 4 message to U.S. President Joe Biden, Mr. Pashinyan stressed his commitment to “expanding cooperation” with Washington in economic, energy, security, and democratic reform.