Armenia will host joint drills with US forces next week, officials in Yerevan said Wednesday, the latest sign of the ex-Soviet republic’s drift from its traditional ally Russia.
The announcement came a day after Moscow dismissed criticism from Armenia that Russian peacekeepers were failing to maintain order over the only route linking Armenia to the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan.
The Armenian defence ministry said the Eagle Partner 2023 drills aim to “increase the level of interoperability” between Armenian and US forces in international peacekeeping missions.
They will be held on September 11-20 in Armenia’s Zar training centre.
The Kremlin responded saying the announcement “raises concerns” and vowed to “thoroughly analyse” the exercises.
