Armenian PM Makes First Trip to Russia Since Re-Election, Food Import Ban

July 6, 2026 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Hayk Baghdasaryan / Photolure via REUTERS Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Russia on Monday for his first visit to the country since winning re-election last month. Pashinyan was in the city of Yekaterinburg to participate in the plenary session of the annual Innoprom industrial exhibition, his press service said. He is also scheduled to meet with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, it added. A video shared on Pashinyan’s official Telegram channel showed Yekaterinburg Mayor Alexei Orlov greeting him at the local airport with a traditional Russian bread-and-salt welcome. In June, Russia accused Western countries of interfering in Armenia’s elections after Pashinyan’s ruling party won a parliamentary majority. Before and after the vote, Russia imposed sweeping import bans on Armenian produce, beverages and other goods over alleged health and safety violations. Armenia’s central bank estimates that the Russian import bans, widely seen as a pressure campaign over Yerevan’s pursuit of closer ties with the European Union, impact roughly 2% of the South Caucasus country’s gross domestic product. The EU, which welcomed the results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections, has pledged economic support to Yerevan and vowed to remove tariffs from nearly 80% of Armenian imports in response to Russia’s restrictions. Friction between traditional allies Russia and Armenia has grown since Azerbaijan regained control of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. Armenia accused Russia and its peacekeeping forces of failing to deter Baku’s military offensive and, in 2024, froze its participation in a Moscow-led regional security bloc. Pashinyan has since skipped a number of summits and events hosted or attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read more about: Armenia Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Kremlin Wavers on Vow to Protect Detained Ex-Karabakh Leader Vardanyan Dmitry Peskov said he was unaware of Azerbaijan's detention of Ruben Vardanyan, who he mistakenly said was a Russian citizen. 2 Min read In Photos: Protesters in Yerevan Demand Prime Minister's Resignation Over Karabakh Crisis Dozens of people were injured in clashes with the police and required medical attention. 1 Min read Feature As Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting Flares, Moscow’s Role as Security Guarantor Questioned Azerbaijan launched a military operation in the disputed region as relations between Yerevan and Moscow appeared to have become more tense in recent weeks... 4 Min read Azerbaijan Launches Military Operation Against Karabakh Russia's Foreign Ministry said it was given "minutes" notice of the start of Azerbaijan's operation. 4 Min read