Russia has faced challenges in providing military supplies to Armenia due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Wednesday, while also recognizing the escalating tensions between Moscow and Yerevan.

Historically, Armenia has depended on Russia for military assistance in its long-standing conflict with Azerbaijan. However, in recent years, Yerevan has increasingly sought arms from France and India, pointing to Moscow’s inability to deliver equipment for which payments had already been made.

During a press conference in Yerevan with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Lavrov acknowledged that several arms contracts have experienced delays or have been shifted to other priorities, attributing this to what he described as Russia’s larger conflict with the West.

“We find ourselves in a situation where, historically, we are compelled to contend with all of Europe,” Lavrov remarked, accusing European nations of supporting Ukraine “under Nazi pretenses.”

“Our Armenian allies realize that in these circumstances, we cannot meet all our commitments on schedule,” he continued.

Lavrov also commented on Armenia’s increasing military cooperation with other nations, including France. He noted that while Moscow would not object to Yerevan acquiring weapons from third parties, he cautioned that purchasing arms from nations that are openly adversarial to Russia raises concerns about Armenia’s strategic orientation.

“When an ally reaches out to a country like France, which is part of the antagonistic bloc and whose leaders express open animosity toward Russia, it certainly raises questions,” he stated.

These comments come amidst a steady decline in Russian-Armenian relations. Armenia has effectively suspended its involvement in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and has openly criticized Russian peacekeepers for their failure to protect ethnic Armenians during Azerbaijan’s 2023 takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh.