Ter-Petrosyan Informs Russian Ambassador that He Has No Links to Pashinyan

Yesterday, an official statement was released regarding a meeting between the first president and leader of the Armenian National Congress, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, and the Russian ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopirkin, at Ter-Petrosyan's residence. The ANC's press service reports that various issues concerning the development of Armenian-Russian relations, regional security, and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were discussed during the two-hour conversation.

The meeting also included ANC vice president Levon Zurabyan and third secretary of the Russian embassy, Igor Ratushnyak. According to ANC sources, the meeting was initiated by Ter-Petrosyan himself. It was reported that Ter-Petrosyan expressed concern over his name being associated with the current government. The first president, acknowledging the strategic role of Russia as Armenia’s ally, provided numerous arguments during the meeting to assert that he has no connections with the current authorities.

Ter-Petrosyan assured that as an experienced statesman, he could not have relations with a government that has undermined allied relations with Russia. He stated that he is a retired individual with no political interests and requested that the poor relations with Pashinyan not be projected onto him.

Ter-Petrosyan's meeting with the Russian ambassador suggests that the downfall of Nikol Pashinyan’s government may be imminent. The method of 'throwing partners under the bus' in the face of failure is characteristic of Ter-Petrosyan. It is worth recalling that when in 2015, Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, rose against the previous authorities, Ter-Petrosyan publicly wrote a letter to President Serzh Sargsyan at a critical moment, subsequently meeting him and effectively withdrawing from the game, leaving the Prosperous Armenia Party alone.

Now, Ter-Petrosyan appears to be attempting to distance himself from Pashinyan’s government, sensing the potential developments.