Moscow summoned the Armenian ambassador in a harsh protest over Yerevan's alleged "unfriendly steps" as the country announced that it would hold joint military drills with the U.S. and escalating tensions over the issue of Karabakh.

Yerevan, a traditional Russian ally, has increasingly criticized Moscow's peacekeeping mission there.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "the Armenian leadership had in recent days taken a series of unfriendly steps."

These included "U.S. military drills on Armenian territory," a trip to Kyiv by the Armenian prime minister's wife and Yerevan's move to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), it added.

Moscow's Foreign Ministry said the Armenian envoy was given a "tough presentation."

Despite the summoning, the Foreign Ministry stressed that Russia and Armenia "remain allies and all agreements on developing the strengthening of the partnership will be fulfilled."

Russia deployed peacekeepers to Karabakh as part of a Moscow-brokered deal to end a 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Many of Russia's traditional allies in the ex-Soviet space have questioned Moscow's role after its full-scale Ukraine offensive.