the international Russian-Armenian Lazarev club was established in 2018 on the initiative of Konstantin Zatulin, Deputy of the state Duma of Russia, Director of the Institute of CIS countries, and a number of well-known politicians and entrepreneurs, public figures, scientists, journalists, and masters of culture of Russia and Armenia, including Nikolai Ryzhkov, Artur Chilingarov, Anatoly Torkunov, Samvel Karapetyan, Sergey Hambartsumyan, Vyacheslav Nikonov, modest Kolerov, Vazgen Manukyan, Artashes Geghamyan, Levon Malkhasyan (Malkhaz), Vitaly Tretyakov, Karen Shakhnazarov, Vladimir Kazimirov, Zori Balayan, etc.

the Club is named after the famous Lazarev family of Armenian patrons who founded the Institute of Oriental languages, the forerunner of MGIMO, in the 19th century. The goal of the Club is to strengthen mutual trust and allied cooperation between the peoples of Russia and Armenia through an informal and free exchange of views between representatives of civil societies of our countries on the most important topics on the current agenda.

Since the end of 2018, the Club has held three major thematic sessions in Moscow and Yerevan, discussing issues of defense and security in the Caucasus region, the economy, entrepreneurship and investment attraction, as well as interaction between the media of Russia and Armenia in forming allied relations and a positive image of the two countries. The club is also engaged in charitable, educational and publishing activities.