Armenia will hold exercises with the US in a period of tensions with Russia

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Armenia says its forces will hold military exercises this month with the United States as tensions rose with longtime ally Russia. Armenia’s Defense Ministry says the exercises that begin Monday are aimed at preparing units for international peacekeeping operations. U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command says that about 85 U.S. soldiers will participate in the exercise along with about 175 Armenian soldiers. Landlocked Armenia has close military ties with Russia, including hosting a Russian military base and participating in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization alliance. But Armenia is increasingly disillusioned with Russia since the 2020 war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan.