YEREVAN: Armenia hosted joint military drills with US troops on Monday, its defence ministry said, the latest sign of Yerevan’s rapprochement with the West amid strained relations with Russia.
According to Armenia’s defence ministry, the joint drills, named Eagle Partner 2024, began on Tuesday and will continue until July 24. The exercises involve servicemen from the US Army Europe and Africa, along with members of the Kansas National Guard. The focus of the drills is on enhancing interoperability among units participating in international peacekeeping missions, improving tactical communication, and boosting the readiness levels of Armenian military personnel.
“The purpose of the exercise 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,” the defence ministry stated.
Armenia, traditionally aligned with Russia and hosting a Russian military base, has recently distanced itself from the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) following disagreements over the handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Last year, Russian peacekeepers were unable to prevent Azerbaijani forces from reclaiming parts of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, leading to a significant shift in Armenia’s security calculus.
The aftermath of the conflict saw the displacement of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian population to Armenia proper. Despite historical ties with Russia, Armenia has increasingly turned to the United States and European Union for support and partnership.
The joint drills with US forces come shortly after the US Department of Defence announced the indefinite postponement of its annual joint exercises in neighboring Georgia. This decision followed a comprehensive review of the US-Georgia bilateral relationship amid concerns over democratic governance and anti-Western rhetoric in Tbilisi.
