Armenia launches joint military drills with United States that anger Moscow

By AVET DEMOURIAN
Associated Press

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia has launched a joint military exercise with the United States, a move that has angered the Caucasus nation’s main ally, Russia. The “Eagle Partner” war games that began Monday will run through Sept. 20 and involve 175 Armenian and 85 troops. They reflect Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts to forge closer ties with the United States and other Western allies amid the simmering tensions with neighboring Azerbaijan. Russia has been Armenia’s main economic partner and ally since the 1991 Soviet collapse. Landlocked Armenia hosts a Russian military base and is part of the Moscow-led security alliance, but Pashinyan has become increasingly critical of Moscow’s role and argued that Armenia must turn to the West to ensure its security.