The Russian Foreign Ministry has denied reports that it rejected the candidacy of Armenia’s proposed new ambassador to Russia. The reports concerned Samvel Mkrtchyan’s candidacy for the post of Armenia’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation.
“The publication in question does not correspond to reality,” the ministry said, according to RBC.
Earlier, the Armenian daily Hraparak, citing its own source, reported that the Russian side had not approved the candidacy of Samvel Mkrtchyan, Armenia’s former ambassador to Poland. The newspaper suggested that a possible reason for such a decision was Mkrtchyan’s many years of diplomatic service in European countries.
Hraparak also reported that Armenia’s ambassador to Russia, Gurgen Arsenyan, had bid farewell to representatives of certain Russian circles during the summer and returned to Armenia in August. However, some time later, he traveled back to Moscow and resumed his diplomatic mission.
Samvel Mkrtchyan was appointed Armenia’s ambassador to Poland in November 2018. Before that, he headed Armenia’s diplomatic mission in Lebanon. During his diplomatic career, Mkrtchyan also represented Armenia at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and served as head of the Arms Control and International Security Department at Armenia’s Foreign Ministry. After completing his diplomatic mission in Warsaw, Mkrtchyan took charge of the Foreign Ministry department responsible for European affairs.
Arsenyan has headed Armenia’s diplomatic mission in Russia since August 2024, succeeding Vagharshak Harutyunyan. Before his appointment as ambassador, he served as a member of Armenia’s National Assembly representing the ruling Civil Contract parliamentary faction.
