The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry accused her of promoting the conflict on the continent “to the teeth”.
European governments have increased military spending in response to its war in and what it says is a risk of a Russian attack on a NATO country, a scenario that Moscow considers absurd.
What he said about Armenia, USA and “arms race”
Zakharova also said that Russia is committed to constructive dialogue and cooperation with Armenia, but has questions about the country’s strategic plans. Relations between the two countries, which are officially allies, have soured amid pro-Western Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s bid for re-election in Sunday’s election. Zakharova told reporters that it is normal for Moscow to seek to understand what direction Armenia’s leadership is trying to take the country.
Russia also condemned U.S. efforts to spark an arms race in the Asia-Pacific region, it said, days after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Washington’s allies in the region to increase defense spending to prevent Chinese dominance.
Asked about Hegseth’s comments in a May 30 speech, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Moscow condemned “persistent efforts” by the US to use proxies to spark an arms race.
NATO’s eastern wing is on alert
At the same time, according to the relevant announcements from Paris, French warplanes took off 11 times in the last week as part of the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic. According to the spokesman of the French armed forces, Guillaume Vernet, the violations constitute an unusually high number of “provocations” and are related to the attempt by Russia to show power on the occasion of the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg.
According to him: “The French detachment deployed in the Baltic air policing mission carried out multiple interceptions of Russian military aircraft flying without flight plans or without radio communication.” He said the intercepted aircraft included armed fighters, reconnaissance aircraft and transports.
This mission protects the airspace of the three Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—through alternating deployments of NATO fighter jets, filling gaps in their own capabilities. Aircraft take off to intercept unidentified or non-compliant aircraft.
The incidents follow a series of military drones entering the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, fueling fears that the war in Ukraine could spill over to NATO’s northern border with Russia.
Answer of the President of the Commission for Armenia
Shortly after Zakharova’s statements, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asserted with her statements that the European Union stands firmly on the side of Armenia, importing flowers that Yerevan can no longer export to Russia.
More specifically, the president of the Commission said: “Moscow uses economic relations as a tool to exert political pressure. We know this method very well.” She promised support from the EU in the form of a first financial aid to the Armenian budget, amounting to more than 50 million euros, while in support of Armenia’s agricultural sector, she said that “a shipment of 10,000 flowers will arrive in Latvia tomorrow. Others will follow.”
Russia last Thursday announced restrictions on the import of fruits, vegetables and flowers from Armenia as tensions rise with Yerevan over Armenia’s bid to “one day” join the European Union. Moscow’s announcement threatens to deal a blow to Armenia’s economy, as Russia is its main trading partner, and comes amid sharp criticism from Moscow of Yerevan’s European aspirations. Russia has announced it is recalling its ambassador to Armenia for “consultations”, a day after Vladimir Putin issued a threatening warning.
It is noted that the Russian president said on Friday from Kazakhstan that the “Ukrainian scenario” began with Kiev’s attempt to join the European Union, intensifying the pressure on Yerevan and calling on Armenia “to organize a referendum on the matter as soon as possible”.
That prospect was rejected by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan who said it would be “absurd” to hold a referendum as long as the choice between the European Union and the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union is not inevitable, given that Armenia has not applied to join the European Union and is not close to accession status.
