Pashinyan denies secret Putin talks and calls Moscow trip a success

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has denied holding a secret meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his recent visit to Moscow, describing the trip as successful.

“I did not have any backstage meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin; there was a working lunch,” Pashinyan said at a press briefing following a cabinet meeting on Thursday, commenting on critical assessments of his visit, News.Az reports, citing News.am.

“A working lunch took place, and we, as always, had lunch and spoke in a friendly manner. I assess this visit as very successful, while everyone is free to have their own opinion,” he added.

Pashinyan said the two sides had agreed to hold further meetings and events.

“We have planned a high-level meeting in the second half of June [after parliamentary elections to be held on June 7],” he said, adding that the substance of the discussions reflected his previous public statements.

“I did not say anything new at the meeting with the president of the Russian Federation,” Pashinyan noted.

The Armenian prime minister said relations between Armenia and Russia are currently undergoing a “constructive transformation”, which he described as a positive process.

News.Az