Armenia has launched joint military exercises with the US forces, in an effort to strengthen ties with the West amid growing rift with Russia.
The South Caucasus country has been one of Russia’s closest allies until recently, but their relations soured in recent years after Yerevan accused Moscow of failing to defend it against Azerbaijan amid the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
Eagle Partner
The joint drills, named “Eagle Partner,” involve Armenian Peacekeeping forces, servicemen from the US Army Europe and Africa and the Kansas National Guard. The exercises last from July 15 until July 24, 2024, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Armenian Ministry of Defense stated that the drills will focus on stabilization tasks between conflicting parties during a peacekeeping mission. It added that “The purpose of the exercises is to enhance the interoperability of units participating in international peacekeeping missions, exchange best practices in control and tactical communication, and improve the readiness of the Armenian unit.”
Strengthening Ties
According to the US Army Europe and Africa, Eagle Partner is an exercise designed to enhance the longstanding partnership between the US and Armenia by increasing interoperability and readiness.
The joint dills will build on Armenian and US collective ability to conduct peacekeeping operations by performing gunnery and stability training, weapons familiarization, and range management.
On this matter, Brig. Gen. Michael Venerdi, Adjutant General of Kansas, said: “Working side by side with our Armenian partners in exercises such as Eagle Partner strengthens the trust and friendships between our nations and the men and women of our military services.”
Strained Relations
Moscow has been Yerevan’s main economic partner and key ally since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Armenia, a former Soviet nation, hosts a permanent Russian military base and is a member of the Russia-led security alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
However, Armenia has effectively frozen its participation in the CSTO, canceled its involvement in joint military drills and ignored the bloc’s summits due to the deepening rift between both countries over the Karabakh issue.
Widening Rift
Relations between Armenia and Russia have soured since Azerbaijan launched a swift military campaign last year to recapture the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Armenian separatists had controlled for three decades.
Yerevan accused Russian peacekeepers of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s campaign. Russia rejected the accusations, claiming that its troops didn’t have a mandate to intervene. The Russian peacekeepers were deployed to the region after a previous round of hostilities in 2020.
Armenia had historically relied on protection from Russia. However, after Azerbaijan’s seizure of Karabakh, it has turned to the US and the European Union (EU).
Angering Russia
Moscow has adopted a delicate balancing act in dealing with Armenia and Azerbaijan, in an attempt to preserve close relations with Yerevan while maintaining its ties to Baku. However, Armenia’s efforts to forge closer ties with the US and other Western allies and distance itself from Moscow-led alliances have angered Russia.
Russia was irritated by Armenia’s decision to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), which last year issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes related to the war in Ukraine. Armenia has repeatedly said it does not support Russia’s war in Ukraine and has sent humanitarian aid to Kyiv.
Moreover, in September 2023, Armenia held the Eagle Partner exercises, angering officials in Moscow, who called it an “unfriendly” move.
Caucasus Geopolitical Landscape
Eagle Partner 2024 came shortly after the US Department of Defense announced it would “indefinitely postpone” annual joint exercises in Georgia. The move followed a decision by the US State Department to conduct a “comprehensive review of the US-Georgia bilateral relationship” in the light of Tbilisi’s perceived democratic backsliding and anti-Western rhetoric.
These developments reflect the shifting geopolitical situation in the Caucasus, where Armenia, Moscow’s longtime ally, is moving closer to the West, while Georgia, a traditionally pro-Western country, is drifting towards Russia.
