Abstract. After the collapse of the USSR, relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia had the character of a strategic partnership, but each of the states had its own interests, and they often did not coincide. The article shows the differences in the positions of Moscow and Yerevan in relation to the Karabakh problem, building relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, and the reasons for Armenia’s disagreements with other CSTO member states. It is concluded that relations between Russia and Armenia have degraded to the level of strategic uncertainty, but the international situation that has changed after the change of power in the United States favors the return of relations to a constructive and mutually beneficial course.