Press Conference of Robert Kocharyan
On Saturday, February 15, it was announced that the former President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, would soon hold a press conference with various Armenian and Russian journalists after a long period of silence.
During today’s press conference on February 17, 2025, the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, spoke for four hours in a Q&A format, addressing the following topics:
1. Shift in Foreign Policy
Kocharyan expressed concern that Armenia, amid global instability, is shifting its foreign policy vector toward weakening centers of power while distancing itself from strengthening ones. He emphasized that the world has already become multipolar, and such a course change could be extremely dangerous for the country.
This topic was central to his press conference, and it is likely that the event was organized specifically to voice this concern. His statement comes against the backdrop of the Armenian Parliament’s approval, in the first reading, of a bill initiating the process of joining the EU—a proposal backed by 60,000 Armenian citizens’ signatures. This development has been criticized by certain groups both within Armenia and in Russia, where the latter, through its allies in Armenia, publicly opposes the move and promotes its own narratives.
2. Accusations Against the Current Government
Kocharyan also accused the current government of deteriorating relations with Russia, arguing that the authorities’ mistakes have contributed to growing anti-Russian sentiment among the Armenian population. He speculated that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan might soon change his stance on Russia amid geopolitical shifts. Kocharyan suggested that Pashinyan may “flip-flop” and start delivering speeches about friendship with Russia.
3. Justifying Russia and Alleged Betrayal by Armenia
Robert Kocharyan attempted to justify Russia’s failure to fulfill its allied commitments to Armenia, making statements such as:
“Why would Russia intervene militarily [in the Artsakh conflict] for Armenia—a country that abandoned it at a critical moment and switched to the enemy’s camp? Would any of you fight for a friend who has betrayed you?”
However, he did not clarify what kind of “betrayal” he was referring to. Instead, he provided a vague and biased assessment of Russian peacekeepers’ actions in Artsakh, stating:
“The peacekeepers performed their duties satisfactorily.”
4. The Role of USAID
Kocharyan also touched on the influence of foreign organizations, claiming that the activities of the recently closed USAID office in Armenia were not intelligence operations but had similar objectives, using “soft power” tools. He stated that substantial funds were spent on promoting a specific ideology, which, in his view, influenced internal processes in the country. However, he did not express any direct criticism of the organization.
5. Future Plans and Political Participation
When asked about his participation in the upcoming elections, Kocharyan stated that this issue had not yet been discussed within his political bloc. However, he emphasized that the alliance would actively engage in all political processes, whether through street protests or elections—although this appeared more as rhetorical encouragement for his allies rather than a concrete political strategy.
Conclusion
Robert Kocharyan’s press conference was yet another attempt to justify Russia’s failure to fulfill its commitments to Armenia while blaming the current government for worsening relations with Moscow. He opposed closer ties with the West, calling it a dangerous move, and reinforced a pro-Russian narrative of Armenia’s “betrayal” without providing concrete arguments. His statements seemed more like political rhetoric aimed at discrediting the country’s current course rather than an objective analysis of the situation.