VIDEO: Armenia Cannot Exist Without Russia, Do Not Repeat the Mistakes of Post-Soviet Countries – Tolstoy

Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy believes that Armenia's separation from Russia would be catastrophic. He made this statement at the opening of the first public forum "Russia-Armenia".

Tolstoy noted that there are 2,500 non-governmental organizations operating in conjunction with the US Embassy in Armenia, and that the embassy is the largest representation of the United States in the entire post-Soviet space. He remarked that these NGOs distribute grants and funds, persuading Armenian youth and society that Armenia can survive without Russia.

“Without Russia, Armenia will not exist as a state,” he stated.

He urged Armenia not to repeat the mistakes of post-Soviet countries that tried to get everything they could from Russia while simultaneously seeking everything from Europe.

“During the last war in Karabakh, I literally had members of the Armenian parliament in my office every week, saying, 'Please, call, tell them to do something, speak to the President of Russia. Our boys are dying, they are being brought back in coffins from the front.' And today, those deputies are no longer here, they do not exist at all. I remind you that it was Vladimir Putin who stopped the bloody war,” emphasized the Deputy Speaker of the State Duma.