Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on September 3 that Armenia no longer considers the presence of Russia’s 102nd military base in Gyumri a “vital necessity.”
In an interview, he stated his country has “nothing to lose” and is advancing with confident steps toward achieving independence. Pashinyan also said Armenia would not object to the closure of the facility.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously indicated on September 1 that if Yerevan so desired, Russian troops could withdraw from the base in Gyumri, while urging Armenia to prepare for an appropriate next step.
