Russian military personnel stationed in Armenia must obey local laws, not Russian ones. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made this statement during a briefing in Yerevan. He was responding to concerns surrounding the possible actions of the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri, given recent changes to Russian legislation.

On May 13, the Russian State Duma approved amendments allowing the use of the country's armed forces abroad to protect Russian citizens if they are arrested, detained, or otherwise prosecuted.

Furthermore, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia on June 7 have no geopolitical context. This was his response to a question about possible external interference in the electoral process, particularly from Russia. Pashinyan noted that although political participants and external observers see a geopolitical context in the elections, the procedure itself does not provide for one.

"The Republic of Armenia is pursuing a balanced policy. There is no conspiracy or counteraction in our policy," the head of government stated.

The prime minister added that Armenia and the Armenian people must always have an alternative, whether it be the European Union or the Eurasian Economic Union. According to him, the people must be able to independently choose the most promising and beneficial strategy for themselves.
Pashinyan also noted that the Russian side had not provided specific examples of damage to its interests as a result of Yerevan's cooperation with the EU. He noted that one Russian representative had stated that such cooperation was harmful, but when asked to provide a specific example, silence followed.

"When I asked this question a second time, the answer was again silence," the Armenian leader added.