The relationship between Armenia and France was in full bloom long before Azerbaijan retrieved it’s territory.
This article would have you believe otherwise. Don’t.
https://www.commonspace.eu/opinion/opinion-does-russia-lose-armenia-france
After Azerbaijan seized Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia started to show signs that the country was moving away from Russia’s security umbrella and here France ramped up very quickly the role of Armenia’s possible next strategic partner.
As I’d previously reported, in 2020, France was intervening in Armenia years ago.
Reread the post below- which has a link back and excerpt from my 2020 piece.
France strategically sought to underscore the French people’s stance towards Armenia, emphasizing the historical importance of the Armenian Community in France. Pashinyan held discussions with leaders of French business, expressing his interest in fostering French business initiatives in Armenia. Noteworthy was Pashinyan’s meeting with Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris and a speculated candidate for the next French Presidency. Hidalgo’s prior humanitarian efforts during the Nagorno-Karabakh blockade and her visit to bordering areas of Armenia added a layer of significance to their interaction. Additionally, Pashinyan engaged with the new Prime Minister of France, focusing their discussions on economic collaboration, energy, water resources, and tourism.
This interview marked a significant departure as Pashinyan openly scrutinized Russia’s policies towards Armenia and hinted at the possibility of a new war. The timing of this interview, a few days before Azerbaijan presented a re-edited version of the so-called “Peace treaty,” suggested that the “peace” offered by Azerbaijan is more about the capitulation of Armenia. This interview was a kind of “call for help” from Pashinyan to Western countries on the eve of a possible new war.
Simultaneously, as Pashinyan returned to Armenia, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrived to Armenia to personally deliver defence weapons. The arms agreement, initiated in October 2023, materialized in February 2024 with the arrival of weapons in Yerevan.
The visit of Minister Lecornu and the discussions with Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan underscored the deepening defence links between France and Armenia. An agreement was reached for the French Army to conduct three mountain combat training sessions in Armenia in 2024.
Worth noting is Armenia’s withdrawal from hosting CSTO exercises in 2023, indicative of the evolving dynamics in its defence relationships.
If there is a new war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenia backed by the EU, will be the instigator.