At a meeting in Moscow with Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed surprise at statements by Armenian politicians about a potential "northern threat" and "hybrid threats." According to Lavrov, only the European Union is pressuring Yerevan, demanding a choice between cooperation with Russia or the EU.

The diplomat emphasized that Russia is aware of Armenia's desire to maintain ties with Moscow, but, according to him, not everyone in the EU is happy with this. He also noted that membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is incompatible with joining the European Union, adding, however, that Russia respects Armenia's choice in this matter.

Simonyan, in turn, assured that Armenia does not intend to take any actions against Russia. He emphasized that, despite the existence of issues requiring discussion, Moscow should not get the impression that Yerevan is attempting to act hostilely. Simonyan also expressed concern about the "rhetoric frequently heard in the Russian public sphere" and noted that Armenia still has unanswered questions for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

In January, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yerevan in connection with harsh and provocative statements by Russian Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov. The protest was prompted by Solovyov's remarks on a program in which he suggested the possibility of conducting a "special operation" in Russia's "zone of influence," including Armenia and Central Asia, if necessary to ensure Russia's national security. Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Ruben Rubenyan compared the propagandist to a "barking dog" that does not hinder the "caravan."