In an article by Joshua Kucera for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) published on 13 September and entitled, “Is Armenia Turning to The West?” RSC Director Richard Giragosian offered his comments.
(excerpts)
Washington and Yerevan announced that they would be holding joint military drills in Armenia. The Eagle Partner 2023 exercise currently under way at the Zar and Armavir training facilities near Yerevan is expected to wind up on September 20.
The exercise itself is not of much significance from a military perspective: The drills are oriented toward peacekeeping missions and involve just 85 U.S. troops. But analysts say they amount to a clear signal, in particular considering that Armenia refused earlier this year to take part in CSTO exercises.
The drills amount to "a message to both Baku and Moscow that Armenia has more options and is being courted by friends," said Richard Giragosian, head of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center think tank.
"As Armenia has been consistently standing up to Russia, there's never been a response from Russia beyond words…. The Armenian government is careful enough to push the envelope but not go over the line," Giragosian said.
https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-pashinian-united-states-west-relations-russia-analysis/32591327.html