The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia values its close relations with Armenia and that the United States, which is set to sign a strategic partnership agreement with Armenia, had never played a stabilising role in the region.

Moscow accused Washington of playing a destabilizing role in the Southern Caucasus on Tuesday as Armenia and the United States prepared to sign a strategic partnership agreement. "The US has never played a particularly stabilizing role in the Southern Caucasus,

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed what he said was Donald Trump’s “readiness to solve problems through dialogue.” The last U.S.-Russian summit was in 2021.

The president-elect had said Russia’s leader wanted to meet him to discuss the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it welcomed such dialogue, but a meeting could occur only after Mr. Trump took office.