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Now leaders have converged on Armenia for the first ever European Union bilateral summit in Yeravan. It's a big step for Armenia as the country which was once a staunch ally of Russia begins to improve its links with the EU. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine have announced separate ceasefires days apart from each other. Michael Bosu is a global affairs analyst and founder of the world briefing report on Substack and joins us now. Michael, good to have you on the program. And firstly, let's start with Victory Day ceasefires that have been declared in both Ukraine and Russia. Tell us how they contradict each other and were declared even as attacks were launched overnight.
Sure. Good to be with you again, Ivon. Well, uh, what kind of partner, potential partner for peace are we talking about when just one hour ago here in Worldport Odessa, not far from me, we had a big explosion. And it seems like it was another Russian drone. But um Odessa has been battered to the point and again I emphasize this is a international port that feeds the world. It's been battered to the point that even some western news organizations no longer deem it safe to send their correspondents here. People are leaving.
Businesses are shutting down. So when Mr. Putin uh decides to declare a ceasefire for his own purposes, his paranoia mostly to feed his ego. Uh it's natural for a Ukrainian president to counter well let's make it a longer ceasefire which he has done. Uh but I again I don't think the Russians are interested in um putting down their guns, their weapons because there seems to be some kind of strategy to really pound Odessa and other key uh infrastructure including that Zaparisia nuclear power plant. Uh meanwhile while we talk about uh Vladimir Putin and you were saying paranoia, there are signs that Putin does not feel very safe at home and you've reported on this. What's he done to step up security not only for himself but his closest aids?
Yeah, it's quite remarkable. According to a leaked uh Western intelligence document that's been reported on by independent Russian media and the uh big media is that Mr. Putin's paranoia has gone to the point where immediate staff are banned from taking public transit using uh cell phones. He spends a lot of time in a bunker. He doesn't spend time in his usual residences. Um also uh some key generals after some infighting between the intelligence services. Mr. Putin has ordered special protection for them after some generals have been uh apparently assassinated by Ukrainian special services. So he does not feel comfortable at all. Uh Russ Ukrainian drones are reaching uh key parts of Moscow. It's a very difficult
time for him and hopefully this will make him come to his senses to finally end the war. And no doubt he's also watching very closely what's happening in Armenia. What do you think he would make of Armenia's apparent shift of its allegiance from Russia towards the EU? What's happening with the meetings there? Yeah, and imagine Ukrainian President Zalinski on Armenia soil, a country which Russia still deems within its sphere of influence. So listen, it wasn't long ago that Putin told Mr. Pashanyan, the Armenian leader. You have to choose either between being in our orbit in our alliances or with the West.
It seems like Mr. Pashanyan has done the wise thing and bet money on partnering more with Europe. But there's a lot that Europe still needs to do other than um you know these uh honeycoated statements and offers of cash. Uh Armenia is a country of between two and three million in a very dangerous neighborhood bordered by Georgia, Turkey, uh Iran and uh its former foe Azerbaijan and uh it's rich in natural resources. It has a lot of talent and a lot of these countries still seemed u not very interested in a normalization and also we have to keep our eye on Azaraijan because there are territorial disputes. It holds PLWS and uh according to Armenian uh sources ar Azerbaijan is really pounding what used to be Armenian
territory in Ao Kiraabach including churches there but it's very crucial that the west support in any way it can this thriving democracy again in a very dangerous neighborhood. So that's what these um meetings are about today. Can you tell us more about what's on the agenda? Well, the for the first time uh this European commun political community has invited Canada in to kind of help u uh bolster uh Armenia's uh engagement if you will with the west. So they're offering more uh weapons for example and by the way India is a big supplier so is France. I think that will increase but again what uh what they're also talking about is security uh especially on its border with Iran with Azerbaijan and then there are these nuances Ivonne that
need to be dealt with for example the Russians uh do not want to let go of their grasp of Armenia they still have a multi-year concession with the national railway there and they sell most energy uh gas to Armenia which they like to turn on and off so the west is on this uh kind of path of uh stabilizing energy supplies especially to Armenia as well as opening up new trade routes. Now one more thing here is that as you know uh Armenia initiated a peace agreement with Azarbaijan under the gaze of Mr. Trump and they've also bought into a Trump branded um energy corridor. If that goes too far, it could cause
complications with Iran right on its border, which also supplies a lot of agriculture and energy. A lot of intersecting geopolitical fault lines here, but I think the West gets the message that it has to move quickly to support Armenia in many, many different ways. And you recently visited Yeravan. Can you tell us what were your first impressions when you spent time there? Yeah. Well, it's rare for me to go to a place I've never been to before being as parapotetic as I am, but um I was really struck uh Ivonne by the thriving tech sector there. It's benefiting actually indirectly from the war in Ukraine. A lot of for example Russians who don't want any part of the war have decamped there. uh the innovation going on there,
the tourism assets and also a real commitment I think to a desire among the very big young population there to decouple itself uh from Russia and become part of the west. Uh it doesn't necessarily is that panicky about becoming part of the EU but they want uh they want more ties with the west. And then I should also mention that there's a huge Armenian diaspora including in Australia. They're a very power powerful ally that helps pass pro Armenian legislation I think. So a lot going on that makes one very optimistic about what's happening in Armenia. People should go visit for sure. Fascinating. Thanks so much for your insights, Michael. Really appreciate it.
Most welcome.
