Pashinyan says he will visit Russia if invitation is extended

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that he will definitely visit Russia if such an invitation is extended.

Pashinyan said before the June 7 elections that he had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold a meeting after the polls in the second half of June.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a potential meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be decided only after the final results of the Armenian parliamentary elections are published.

Pashinyan was asked about the potential visit on Thursday.

“There has been understanding regarding a visit to Russia, but there must be an invitation for me to go. If there is an invitation, I will go; I will definitely not refuse it,” Pashinyan said when asked if he plans to visit Russia and meet Putin.

Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party received 49.825% of the vote, while Samvel Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia Alliance secured 23.281%, and former president Robert Kocharyan’s Armenia Alliance received 9.934%.

Business tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia Party is very close to the 4% electoral threshold, having secured 3.996% of the vote according to preliminary results. A recount is currently underway ahead of the final results announcement on June 14.