The Armenian authorities have decided once again to show the world how "thankful" they are to their benefactors. Few people in history have done as much for Armenians and Armenia as Russian President Vladimir Putin. Other people may dislike and even hate him, but Armenians cannot lay claim to Vladimir Putin.

Armenia was and is under the Russian Federation's thumb because of the Russian leader. There are a lot of ethnic Armenians at the top of Russia and they occupy key posts of prime minister and foreign minister. Thanks to Vladimir Putin, the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar region of Russia and Abkhazia, Georgia, that was occupied by Russia, is rapidly becoming "seaside Armenia". In the 44-day war, in fact, only Vladimir Putin saved the Armenians from a complete, final and ignominious defeat by giving them a chance to make peace on quite acceptable (if we put aside Armenian nationalist ambitions) terms.

Today, however, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been turned into an international pariah because of his adventurous military aggression against Ukraine (which largely took place thanks to the "advice" of the Armenian lobby). In a landmark development, the International Criminal Court in The Hague (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian ombudsperson for children, on 17 March 2023 on suspicion of organising the illegal deportation of children from Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine.

It has become apparent that Vladimir Putin has been barred from entering the territory of the countries that have signed the Rome Statute, which ensures the operation of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. These countries, which have ratified the Rome Statute, are obliged to arrest and extradite him to international justice as soon as he enters their territory. The Rome Statute has been signed by most countries in the world, but not all have yet ratified it.

Among the latter is the Republic of Armenia, which until recently was in no hurry to ratify. For one simple reason.  Many Armenian politicians, particularly those involved in the first Karabakh war, rightly fear that the International Criminal Court in The Hague may issue a warrant for their arrest for crimes against humanity in the territory of Azerbaijan, for the same genocide in Khojaly. The Republic of Armenia has therefore deliberately stalled ratification of the Rome Statute.

In the second half of March 2023, however, things changed. Yerevan, as soon as it became aware of the information about the warrant against Putin, "hastened sharply" and began the process of ratifying the Rome Statute. That is, Armenia thereby either restricts the arrival of the ICC wanted persons in Armenia, or is ready to "surrender and extradite" its benefactor and members of his team if they have the misfortune to enter its territory (which, incidentally, became "Armenian" only thanks to Russia"). At that, in its desire to betray its benefactor as soon as possible, Armenia is taking a real risk of jeopardizing Armenian terrorists and extremists responsible for genocide of Azerbaijanis in Karabakh.

It thus goes as far as to say that Vladimir Putin will no longer visit Armenia and will not perform the obligatory ritual of worshipping the "genocide" memorial for the "friends of Armenia". After Nancy Pelosi's "precious crocodile tears", Armenian politicians no longer need other "mourners". Well, if Putin does fly to Yerevan, he runs the risk of being arrested by the "grateful" Armenians and handcuffed to The Hague.

However, other Armenian "friends" could play a fatal role in Vladimir Putin's fate in Moscow too. It is no secret that the West is secretly negotiating with some Russian politicians to "surrender" Putin in exchange for the lifting of sanctions, for example. So, even if there is a coup to overthrow Vladimir Putin in Russia, the leading role will probably be played by Putin's Armenian "friends" whom he brought closer to him and gave him real levers of power in Russia.

Varden Tsulukidze