Russian Studies Workshop

Dr. Stephen Badalyan Riegg: "Of Revolutionaries & Realists: Russian - Armenian Ties Since the Revolution of May 2018"

The change of leadership in Armenia in May 2018 resembled a revolution more in result than in method. The “Velvet Revolution”, as it become known, surprised many observers near and far. During the upheaval and in the time since its end, several important questions continue to evade clear answers. One such issue is the effect, if any, the Velvet Revolution has had on Russian-Armenian political and economic relations. Whatever the geopolitical uncertainties, it is palpable that a new chapter has opened in the deeply entangled history of symbiosis and resistance between Russia and Armenia. This presentation traces some of the main changes - and the enduring continuities - in the bilateral ties between Moscow and Yerevan since the turmoil.