YEREVAN—NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to Armenia comes amidst heightened tensions following Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s announcement that he will surrender four villages in the Tavush province demanded by Azerbaijan. The move, framed as an attempt to avoid war, has sparked concern both domestically and internationally.
Pashinyan’s recent statement stands in stark contradiction to his announcement made during a three-hour press briefing last week. At that time, he categorically stated that there had been no discussions regarding the transfer of the four villages in the Tavush region.
Pashinyan justified the decision during a meeting with residents of Voskepar, Baganis and nearby settlements on March 18, citing the imperative to prevent conflict escalation. He stated that adjusting the Armenian border in these areas was necessary to ensure the safety of the villages and prevent the outbreak of war.
“Our policy is that we must not allow war to start,” Pashinyan said.
“In this situation, it’s better for us to stand on our border and put forward demands for them to leave our territory than to stand beyond our border while knowing that they will use it as a target,” the PM continued.
Critics argue that this move represents a significant concession to Azerbaijan and raises questions about Armenia’s commitment to defending its territorial integrity.
Pashinyan’s comments shed light on the ongoing border demarcation negotiations, in which Armenia seems poised to acquiesce to Azerbaijani demands without asserting its own interests. The PM outlined the process by which the border would be determined, emphasizing a potential resolution in the Baghanis to Berkaber area.
In a startling admission, Pashinyan also revealed a contrast in negotiation strategies between Armenia and Azerbaijan. While Armenia seeks a comprehensive solution, Azerbaijan insists on regaining control of territories before engaging in broader discussions.
Pashinyan’s remarks also suggest that Armenia may relinquish control of these villages to Azerbaijan without demanding the return of territories lost in the past, such as Berkaber village’s extensive lands seized by Azerbaijan in the 1990s and large swathes of territory in southern Armenia captured in 2021 and 2022.
Pashinyan’s assertion that Armenia’s primary goal is to avoid conflict rings hollow in the face of what appears to be a one-sided capitulation. By prioritizing the security of specific villages over broader national interests, Pashinyan risks betraying Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The announcement comes as Azerbaijan has demanded the immediate surrender of the four villages on the border of Tavush province. Pashinyan’s assertion that these villages are not within the recognized territory of Armenia has drawn scrutiny and prompted fears of further territorial encroachment by Azerbaijan.
Vahe Ghalumyan, a Civil Contract parliamentarian and former governor of Tavush, made a controversial statement further fueling criticism of Pashinyan’s administration. He claimed that there are no Armenian homes in the disputed area along the Tavush region’s border.
“There are no Armenian settlements there. They were Azerbaijani villages that came under the control of the Republic of Armenia in the 1990s, but no Armenians lived there. I am not sure that there is a house there. If there are, they will receive a solution from the state. All this is part of the peace process,” Ghalumyan said.
Ghalumyan’s statement supporting Pashinyan’s recent announcement has intensified public outrage and deepened suspicions regarding the motives behind Pashinyan’s administration.
Members of the opposition “Hayastan” faction of the National Assembly have expressed deep concern over Pashinyan’s statements made during his visit to Tavush. They argue that Pashinyan’s remarks confirm fears that the Armenian government is unilaterally conceding to Azerbaijani demands in ongoing negotiations.
The opposition faction highlighted several troubling aspects of Pashinyan’s statements. They criticized the decision to pursue partial demarcation and delimitation without a comprehensive agreement and reciprocal actions, warning that this approach favors Azerbaijan’s interests and weakens Armenia’s defense capabilities along the border.
Moreover, the opposition faction raised concerns about the potential loss of control over strategic roads, which could significantly heighten security risks for Armenia. The villages in Tavush are located along a main highway connecting Armenia to Georgia and the pipeline that supplies Armenia with natural gas from Russia. The “Hayastan” faction argued that continuously conceding to Azerbaijan’s demands under the threat of war not only fails to deter further aggression but also emboldens Azerbaijan to pursue more aggressive actions in the future.
The opposition faction also criticized the neglect of international best practices in demarcation and delimitation. They emphasized that any actions that compromise Armenia’s sovereignty or involve the relinquishment of territories to another state constitute grave crimes against the nation.
Garnik Danielyan of the “Hayastan” faction highlighted the direct threat posed to surrounding villages, including kindergartens and schools, should these territories fall under Azerbaijani control. He emphasized the risk of population displacement and urged resistance against the decision to hand over the villages.
Regarding whether or not Pashinyan would reverse this decision, Danielyan suggested that without strong opposition from residents and the public, the prime minister is unlikely to face any consequences.
According to Sergey Melkonyan, an international political scientist, the current leadership has instilled a pervasive atmosphere of fear, equating any opposition to war with inevitable defeat. This departure from Armenia’s past, where victory was the norm, has been evident throughout the tenure of the present administration, marked by defeats in 2020 and 2022 and a notable absence of involvement in the 2023 conflict that saw the fall of Artsakh.
Melkonyan observes a troubling trend towards incremental capitulation. Initially, discussions centered on compromises in Artsakh to “maintain peace.” However, the ambit of concessions appears to be expanding, with talks now broaching areas such as Tavush.
Moreover, unsettling proposals loom regarding the violation of Armenia’s sovereignty through constitutional amendments and territorial handovers. Such moves not only flout established international legal norms but also set dangerous precedents.
In response to these looming threats, Melkonyan suggests reinforcing defensive positions, particularly in Tavush, to deter aggression. Additionally, Melkonyan advised seeking alliances with nations interested in regional stability to conduct military exercises in Tavush and beyond, which could provide a deterrent against further hostilities.
Melkonyan also called for urging Azerbaijan to withdraw from strategically occupied positions within Armenian territory. However, doubts persist regarding the current government’s commitment to preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity, fueling concerns that unilateral concessions or deliberate territorial surrenders may loom on the horizon.
Pashinyan’s recent remarks have not gone unnoticed by international figures in the region. Konstantin Zatulin, a deputy of the Russian State Duma, has joined the chorus of critics, accusing Pashinyan of prioritizing personal interests over those of Armenia.
Zatulin underscored the strategic importance of the four villages in the Tavush region, emphasizing their role in Armenia’s transit routes to Iran and Georgia. He condemned Pashinyan for allegedly neglecting Armenia’s defense while capitulating to the demands of Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Hoory Minoyan
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The traitor Pashinyan is paving the way for Armenia’s territorial mutilation. He will not stop there. He could very well cede southern Armenia to the ever hungry arch-enemy Azerbaijan, in his stupefying belief that appeasing an aggressive expansionist dictatorship might work! This would mean the end of Armenia’s sovereignty and viability as an independent state. That man came to power to destroy Armenia. He has gone down as the biggest traitor in Armenian history. What Vidkun Quisling is to Norway and Pierre Laval is to France, Nikol Pashinyan is to Armenia.
What is even more appalling, is the silence and thus the acquiescence of the majority of the Armenian people to the mutilation of the Armenian homeland, and that they re-elected Pashinyan, after the disastrous Second Artsakh War, which eventually resulted in the destruction of Artsakh.
The threshold among most of the people in Armenia, to all this treason and to the peril Armenia is in, must be very low. Otherwise, a traitor and saboteur like Pashinyan could not have been re-elected and gotten away with his appeasement of the Turkic arch-enemies and sabotage of Armenia.
The elections are clearly rigged, just like when a party that never got more than 8% of the vote was ushered into power and immediately began purging the entire country of any dissent from the new American colonial rule. The US ambassador is the hand that moves the Armenian prime minister’s mouth. That’s not to say there isn’t popular support, thanks to the flood of foreign money and influence that has inundated the country for a long time.
Agree
He’s also like Neville Chamberlain minus the brain cells
I hope all you champions of “independence”, “democracy” and “westernization” are enjoying the show. This is what “independence from Russia” really looks like, and it will only get worst. The only way to save what remains of Armenia is to bring her back to mother Russia, by force if necessary.
Gurgen SHUT UP. Go move to
your “mother russia” so they will accuse you there of being an Enemy of the State and dispatch you to the same penal colony where Navalny perished. You have ZERO patriotism and ZERO pride as an “Armenian”. You must be really dumb not to realize that Russia has dumped Armenia as a country of any strategic importance or any economic relevance to Russia itself; you can wish all you want to “join Russia” but the Russian government does NOT need nor want Armenia as a protegé – Putin the bloodthirsty dictator HATES Armenians, he made that clear during and after the Karabagh war of 2020 and 2022.
Educate yourself and snap out of your stupidity.
That’s the reason why this trader is in office. Now Putin tells this guy tough luck, you won’t get help fighting your enemies from Russia anymore. The United States is ready to collapse economically, they are causing chaos around the world, it is its last thrawl of failed country. Armenian better wake up, they, of all nations should have been the first in line to join BRICS nations back in 2010. It’s not late, just do it. If they hitch their wagon to the west, they will be the next Ukraine, dust! Wake up Armenia, please
Stupidity like just what I read above is how we got to where we are today.
Referring to “Vahé”
Talking about “Vahé” and those who think like him
This is because Armenia is in a very weak position. Inept leadership, resting on laurels from old victories and duplicious behaviour from it’s erstwhile patron Russia who balanced and dalianced with Armenia enemies Azerbaijan and Turkey. Even if Pashinyan is no more the relative weakness of Armenia remains. It’s likely that Azerbaijan will demand access across Syunik under the threat of war of course. It seems that Armenia is behaving like the Spanish communist government in 1938 in a vain effort to assuage the west dismissed the international legion which denied them of a support base for no repococial support (reward) from western government’s and went into history the next year …
WHAT THE HELL IS THIS IDIOT DOING? I WAS NOT 100% AGAINST THIS FOOL AS ARMENIA’S LEADER BECAUSE HE’S AT LEAST BEEN ARRESTING AND PROSECUTING SCUM BAGS FOR CORRUPTION. GIVING AWAY MORE LAND AFTER HE LET GO OF ARTSAKH…? WOW. TIGHTEN UP THE MILITARY! RALLY THE COUNTRY! DEVELOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND THEN DARE THE PEOPLE TO YOUR EAST AND WEST TO CROSS ARMENIA! GET RID OF HIM BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!
I agree, Armenian minds are sharp and should have found a way to develop nuclear weapons for self defense. It should have been done long ago. Once again Armenia will suffer because its nice attitude. Forget the Christian niceness be bold for once and be aggresive! Just do it or suffer for eternity.
Thanks to US regime change and constant meddling, along with a pliant and easily manipulated Armenian public that is not accustomed to such foreign interference in what is a rather irrelevant country, we are seeing Armenia being subsumed by the Azeris in real time. Big brother Turkey hasn’t even gotten in on the action yet, but just wait. On the current course the nation of Armenia is headed for a fate even worse than that which awaits Ukraine. In another 10 years there will be no Armenia. Thank you USA!
This foreign agent head of state in Armenia is 10,000x worse than the last administration in every way and anyone with two brain cells could have seen that from the start. Meanwhile if you said anything like this on a site like reddit back in 2018, you would be muzzled and banned, if not suspended on the site entirely. Humans believe whatever they want to believe. It’s very easy for humans to ignore anything which does not confirm existing biases.
the country became more corrupt, more repressive, less democratic, and less safe in 2018 and it will only get worse. The head of state has a similar personality to Trump, he is a self obsessed narcissist, a buffoon, and one of the most incompetent heads of state not just in the world but in recent history. All of this obvious.
Armin, Are you a Russian agent? Your constant blaming of America for the internal issues of Armenia sounds like the blather spewed by Russian TV. You need to check on the amount of money that Americans give to the AGBU to help with education, medicine, commerce before claiming awful the US treats Armenia.
Walter, are you a Western or Turkish agent? Your constant blaming of Russia for the internal issues of Armenia sounds like the blather spewed by American TV. You need to check on the amount of money that Russia gives to Armenia to help with energy, defense, education, medicine, economy, commerce before claiming how awful the Russia treats Armenia.
I’m a US citizen and third generation survivor of the genocide. Never been to Russia, have no family or financial or any other ties to Russia. My entire family is in the US, mostly in Burbank and Glendale, but also South Florida. If Russian media says the sky is blue, does that mean the sky must be red? Think for yourself, unless you lack the critical facilities to reach sound conclusions.
I’ve been warning other members of diaspora what’s in store for Armenia, accurately, since 2018. They don’t want to hear it. Just wait. On the current course there will be no Armenia within a decade.
Armenia at one time was considered to have the most capable ready Army in Caucuses. That is why this dispute was put on hold for 30 years. And no, it wasn’t because of Russia, and no, it wasn’t because all of sudden the Azeri militarily got the upper hand. Azerbaijan always had more money and always had Turkey as a direct ally. Azerbaijan dared not venture into another war because Turks while being ultra opportunists understand their own demise is at stake.. All that is now gone once the ever incompetent Pashinyan was installed. Pashinyan’s first order was to dismantle the Armenian military just to weaken it. He rid seasoned generals one by one and installed unqualified useless people just like him. The once routine military drills, artillery drills even drone drills as a means to be on high alert by the ever ready Armenian Army is now gone. The stand down orders are now constant. Armenia’s military moral is in shambles. Pashinyan’s core responsibility to protect Armenia’s security and sovereignty is gone.
Zaven Sinanyan, Armenia’s minister of Diaspora on a recent US tour said that they all knew the 2020 war was lost early on because of Pashinyan’s incompetence and inability to supply the front lines. How is this acceptable? His incompetence lead to the deaths of thousands of Armenians and the loss of Armenian lands. He himslef declared Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. How is that not treason? He abandoned Artsakh forcing the people to flee their ancient homelands, all the while blaming Russia. He wouldn’t even offer them Armenian citizenship because that would mean an eventual vote against him. He also freely gave the maps to the land mines with nothing in return, all the while Azerbaijan still squat’s on Armenia’s sovereignty and is still holding prisoners of war.
This isn’t going to end well for Armenia anytime soon. Pasinyan’s policy of capitulation is complete disaster. Next will be the corridor splitting the south part of Armenia which he will gladly give because “a war can break out within a week”. He has absolutely no way to protect Armenia’s security. He himself brought this to Armenia. He is directly responsible for all this loss.
All Armenians ALL OVER THE WORLD need to rise with massive demonstrations demanding Pashinyan step down. Yes its time. He is clearly incapable of governing and his track record of death and loss proves it. Pashinyan needs to go.
there is 0% chance any demonstrations of any size would cause this guy to step down. It’s a personality type and he’s got the same complexes as Trump. Anyone else would have been long gone by now.
Pashinyan is the biggest anti-Armenian since Talaat Pasha. If he isn’t voted out in the next elections, the Armenian people need to take things into their own hands and ensure that Pashinyan is not allowed to remain as prime minister. Mek azg! Mek zhoghovurd! Mek apaga! Կարկուտ Հայաստան!
Monte Melkonian totally agreed. Nicole is a great danger to Armenia’s existence something needs to be done. All Armenians should work together hand in hand to get red off this filthy traitor and his cronies.
Shameful cowardice, treachery and betrayal.
I never seen anything like this in any leader in any country in the world in my entire life.
The destruction of a nation from within. I whish to my armenian brothers and systers nothing but the best. Greetings from Central America.
Get rid of this nincompoop before it is too late, and all is gone. It may already be too late once all the truth come out. He is more an Azeri and a Turk than the Turks and the Azeris themselves.
Trying to have one foot with the Putin alliance and one foot pointing towards the US/NATO alliance is a fool’s stance. Choose am alliance or else the country of Armenia will have NO chance for survival. The Turks and Azeris have aspirations for their Pan Turkic Empire and Armenia is the enclave that is in the way. History has shown that ‘negotiating’ with the Turks is a waste of time. Every financial resource from within Armenia and the Diaspora should be dedicated towards (offensive and defensive) weapon development. Otherwise Armenia as a country will cease to exist within five years – especially if Trump is elected.
Martin:
Does it matter who is president ?
In addition to all this world apathy and U.S. sound bites/no action, the next major insult will be an Apr 24 statement from Biden.
How is Armenia ‘in their way’? Can you explain? The two countries can trade/communicate just fine without any corridors. Where is the logic?
Hmm … So, it’s fine, with Putin, for Azerbaijan to have 40 year alliance with NATO Turkey, fine for Azerbaijan to be in bed with Israel, fine for Azerbaijan to spend 30 years of genocidal crimes against its Armenian Neighbor, but Putin wants to “punish” Armenia (and Pro-Russia Artsakh) for seeking to expand its foreign policy. Frankly, I’d bet money that Putin sold Artsakh Armenians straight into Baku’s dungeon hell.
I watched the town hall meetings the PM held with the villagers of two border villages in question, Voskepar and Kerants. Undoubtedly the villagers of these two villages and the Armenian government officials know that they face the possibility of the villages incorporated in Azerbaijan. But they concluded the meetings to keep abreast each each other as the negotiations continue. But the headline of this article is deliberately provocative for reasons only the editorial board of Armenian Weekly knows as they may room for such provocative and forgone conclusive headlines, that surely goes beyond the scope of journalistic reporting and is political, against the interest of Armenia and its democratically elected government and is covertly leaning from without in favor of inviting a totalitarian regime in Armenia under the guise of security.
The Armenian Army must put a stop to this.
I hope there is a coup.
Armenians are not suited for Democracy.
Armenians need 2 or 3 generations of authoritarian leaders who will face down the Turks and build Fortress Armenia.
Anything has got to be better than this shame.
What you are doing is whitewashing treasonous behavior that will lead to Armenia’s demise.
If Soghomon Tehlirian were alive today I wonder what he would do?
Vahe Apelian, you are a Nikol apologist. You’re all over Keghart condemning anything pro-Russia. You lack integrity, disguising yourself as a wolf in sheep’s clothing
At Apeian,
When it comes to the security and the
Protection of our homeland, our brothers, our sisters, and their immediate family, I say, SCREW YOU and SCREW your democracy. I will take TOTALITARIAN order over, American/ EurpeeON ( AXIS OF EVIL) cooked up democracy anytime. Take your democracy, take your PaSHEETyan and get the heck out of Armenia.
The last two comments were personalized comments made in anonymity and were directed at me. Normally, I would have ignored comments made in anonymity and would have engaged privately with the person having stated his/her name and surname. Given the issue I feel that I should clarify and state the following.
Of course, I do not have anything against the Russian people but I do not support totalitarian regimes.
I was brought up by and in a generation that took a principled stand against totalitarian regime that had taken hold in Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia and shaped Diaspora including, among others, the establishment of the Cilician See, and the Armenian Youth Federation in the U.S., and defined ARF of its day. That Diaspora with its institutions were handed to the post September 21, 1991 generation.
Yes indeed, what of a sovereign state where the democratic institutions are not safeguarded, be it Armenia. “Sovereignty” is an oxymoron under a totalitarian regime and Russia, under Putin, is a totalitarian regime whose leader Putin reneged the Armenia, Azeri, Russia November 9, 2020 trilateral agreement it brokered and signed and on September 19, 2023 oversaw historic Artsakh depopulated of its native Armenians and the abduction of its leadership who are presently languishing in prison in Baku.
And if I were to consider post WWII, East and West Germany, and on a larger scale East and West Europe, it becomes evident to me that in the long run Democratic institutions prevailed both socially and militarily as long as the people abided by it.
It is up to Armenians to make their choice. To each to its own. I have no further comment on this matter.
@Vahe H Apelian
There is no reason, none whatsoever, for Russians to die for Artsakh when Armenians won’t.
Pashinyan declared that Artsakh was part of Azerbaijan.
Pashinyan declared that the Armenian Army would not fight for Artsakh.
What do the Armenian people do?
They re-elect Pashinyan!
You cannot blame Russia for Armenia’s own failings.
@ Robert Whig, One ought to take note of the fact that Russia whom you admire so much has always considered Arktash to be part of Azerbaijan as it organised the region of Nagorno Karabakh within Azerbaijan as it’s previous iteration as the Soviet Union . So the Kremlin was playing a double game well beyond legitimate balancing of interests to Azerbaijan it was a part of its territorial integrity. Whilst to Armenia we feel that a settlement of its status should be resolved at some point in the future. Also Armenia pre Pashinyan only ever recognised the will of its population to self determine their future, but never recognised it as independent let alone as part of Armenia hence no UN recognised country ever recognised it as independent either and until Pashinyan recognised it as part of Azerbaijan. Until then Armenia whilst failing to recognise it’s independence didn’t affirm that it was part of Azerbaijan. Why didn’t Armenia even recognise it as independent because Russia wouldn’t let them the same Russia who then called for Armenia to withdraw from internationally recognised Azerbaijan and then two days after a friendship agreement with Azerbaijan goes on to invade Ukraine and claim annexations. As for Russians dying for Arktash when Azerbaijan seized it Russian peacekeepers were killed by Azerbaijan but Russia did nothing and Russians are dying in Ukraine so Arktash is expedient to Russia like Armenia actually.
@ Robert Whig, Russia has always considered Arktash/ Nagorno – Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan after it’s predesccor the Soviet Union assigned it to Azerbaijan SSR . Hence whilst hinting to Armenia it was sympathetic to its cause it to Azerbaijan was affirming the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in other words it’s been stringing Armenia along and engaging in double talk with Azerbaijan as well as Armenia going beyond legitimate balancing of interests. Russia is having many deaths in Ukraine lately and hence Arktash and Armenia are expendable in its caucalations and good relationship with Azerbaijan and Turkey are more important to it and when Russia lost peacekeepers to the Azeri military in the storming of what remained of Arktash, Russia did nothing.
@Charles,
First of all, no foreign intervention in any form or fashion in Armenia’s affairs is ever good for the Armenians as proven by history over and over again. Having said that, regardless of what Russia considered the status of Artsakh to be, it was the responsibility of our patriotic and victorious, short-sighted in hindsight, Armenian leaders to integrate and unite Artsakh with Armenia right after winning the war imposed by the enemy. They had the power to do so because the enemy was in much worse shape at the time than Armenians were post 2020 invasion carried out by NATO member terrorist Turkey on militarily incompetent criminal Azerbaijan’s behalf.
If our leaders had forced the enemy into capitulation back then and declared Artsakh as part of Armenia, Russia would either have objected to it, hence it would have shown its stance on this issue and revealed its true face, or would have gone along with it which means Russia would have had no choice but to defend Artsakh as well because then Artsakh as part of Armenia would have been covered under the security treaty Armenia had with Russia. Whether or not Russia would have honored its security treaty with Armenia is a whole different story. After all, for Russia like any other country the most important thing is Russia’s interests first and foremost. We won the war imposed on us but we failed to bring our victory to its intended conclusion.
@vahe apelian
First you engage in a form of virtue signalling
Then you blame putin for all of nikols errors.
You have a personal blog that continuously praises nikol pashinyan. Googling you, we find out your ties to the US Army reserves, tue American University of Beirut.
Nikol pashinyan is Americas guy, meant to destabilize Russia and Iran in the region.
You are compromised with your affiliations, and the factbyou did not openly state your biases, in making your point shows your lack of integrity, and how corrupt you are
Pretendining to be sheep in wolves clothing, how revolting of an individual you must be…
How sad…
Vahe,
Everything you said is a politically motivated lie, and your worldview is shallow and twisted. You are either an intellectual midget who gets his “news” from CNN or an agent of influence peddling Western and Turkish talking points.
As an American citizen of Armenian descent, this is precisely why we have the second ammendment in the US. It is imperative for the citizenry to protect themselves against all enemies, foreign and domestic. If Armenian citizens were properly armed and knowledgeable in the use of firearms, that would provide some deterrent to a Turkish/Azeri invasion.
Ararat
Armenia definitely has to go through a soul searching and as with after a calamity a candour to address issues otherwise considered taboo and impolite to ask. Namely the failure to recognise Arktash as an independent entity post 1994 after all how an earth could Armenia expect other countries to recognise it as independent when it failed to itself “after you” as the saying goes. It must be said that Armenia to declare annexation in 1994 would definitely have got Armenia into trouble with the United Nations and would have faced UN sanctions not just the Azeri Turkish embargo, it’s worth noting that the UN never declared Armenia in occupation of N-K. The UN issue is important even Turkey with its grab of northern Cyprus has never formally incorporated it into Turkey firstly a military occupation then independence supported by Turkey and only Turkey recognises it as such officially. In the 1990s the UN which paid little attention to the south Caucasus, the contemporaneous Yugoslav wars gaining the lions share of attention at the time, was a much stronger more respected institution than it is now. Whilst Pashinyan is a poor leader Armenia had a too much “ask Moscow first” foreign and even domestic policy so this aspect has reached it’s endgame. Armenia from now on must look at Russia less under the influence of brandy and Russia must look at Armenia under less influence of vodka this is a metaphor of course but honest frankness and candour must define the relationship not sentimental brotherhood and unity waffle. Russia has been grossly hypocritical with Armenia, condemning Armenian presence in Azerbaijan yet had its own univited presence in parts of Georgia and mocking Armenia for not even recognising Arktash as independent when it was the one preventing it from doing so. Mocking Armenia using unguided rockets and shells in 2020 against civilian areas of azerbaijan yet a little over a year later would do the same on an exponentially greater scale in Ukraine where it would declare annexation of land it didn’t even control in some cases Sorry for my near duplicate posting there was an uploading issue. Russia policy is presumably in favour of Russia for what worth and certainly doesn’t have a special affection for Armenia and knows what is better for Armenia than it’s own people as some of the pro Russian Armenians claim! As for Azerbaijan easy in a war to see the enemy as from how they were when the last war was in 1994 but that was then and Azerbaijan had transformed itself rather more than Armenia by the next time hostility unfolded extensively in 2020 . Look at the rise and fall of Nazi Germany an army which swept most before it in 1940 yet would be outmatched completely in 1945 or the Soviet Union triumphant then but unraveled with for the scale of changes with little violence in 1991. I quote these examples as context about relative rise and fall. Also victory in one thing doesn’t prevent another in Sri Lanka the government defeated the Tamil Elam secessionist movement but this didn’t stop the same government collapsing years later due to severe economic problems so for Azerbaijan in time the Aliyev clan will face the ire of the people and we won Karabakh back won’t save them just like the Soviet Union couldn’t save itself on we beat the Nazis 45 years ago when faced by internal turmoil.
“If Armenian citizens were properly armed and knowledgeable in the use of firearms”, they would sooner use it on each other. You live in lala land…
Where is Soghomon Tehlirian, Arshavir Shiragian and patriots when you need them??
Pashinyan is traitor and stench in Armenian History. How did this happen to us?
@Charles
And in the America that you admire so much, 99.99% of Americans cannot find Armenia on a map.
It is a country that, to put it mildly, is sexually confused.
It’s hard to take you seriously, Charles. when you don’t know how to read a map.
Just look at a map, Charles, the Turks are on Armenia’s eastern and western borders. They are a mortal threat.
Armenia’s allegiance to Russia is based on geography.
It’s simple common sense.
@ Robert Whig
I don’t need condescending statements about looking at a map I haven’t expressed admiration for the USA as such and it’s gender issues aren’t relevant to Armenia security as far as I know. I am aware of the cosy relationship Russia has with Azerbaijan and Turkey and it’s gross hypocrisy, condemning Armenian presence in internationally recognised Azerbaijan yet has its own in common neighbour Georgia and occupations in internationally recognised Ukraine where it has claimed annexations even of land it doesn’t control which is bizarre. I’m also aware that Russia in its previous iteration as the Soviet Union signed away western Armenia to Turkey and then post WW2 made farcical effort to reverse this resulting in Turkey joining NATO and the Armenian genocide being relegated in Washington priorities. I’m also aware that the Soviet Union which initially was going to assign Arktash to Armenia SSR decided that it would be in Azerbaijan SSR without consulting the people in the best of communist spirit. I’m also aware that the Soviets forced the Armenians of southern Georgia to be part of Georgian SSR or part of the Republic of Turkey. Unsurprisingly they choose Georgia. I’m also aware that Russia doesn’t have a common border with Armenia so it’s ability to directly assist is rather low especially now they are entangled in Ukraine even if they now appear to be gaining the advantage in what is an attritional conflict. There are many things Armenia needs to learn the recent years have been quite a reality check. Russia was a primary arms supplier to Armenia yet would have known that Armenia it’s vunerable ally was Azerbaijan primary target, imagine if the USA sold weapons to Syria and Lebanon claiming it needed to be fair and if they didn’t others would Israel and the Jews in USA would cry foul but Armenia has to put up and shut up with such behaviour from it’s ally. Also misplaced was the sense of kinship Sergei Lavarov half Armenian hence many thought on that basis he would root for Armenia but he simply echoes the Kremlin Pro Azerbaijan position. As for who could be Armenia main ally locally Iran seems the best one, it adjoins regionally quite powerful, distrustful of Turanisim historically fraternal to Armenia although Russia and USA for different reasons would oppose. Russia has been playing a double game with Armenia taking advantage of the parochial tendancies and sense of vulnerability of Armenia quite simply they are not kith and kin to Armenia in the way Turkey is to Azerbaijan and never will be and Armenia needs to stop being so sentimental and fatuous towards Russia and just be honest pragmatic and realistic and not ignore uncomfortable facts over a toast of brandy.
This is a reply to all commentators, and especially to Gurgen regarding Pashinyan’s failures and endangering the very sovereignty of Armenia:
Just that you all know, I was a STAUNCH supporter of the Russian Federation and Armenia’s military/political/economic alignment with Russia and the ODKB (Collective Security Treaty Organisation of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgizstan and Tadjikistan ) from 1991 to 2020. I was convinced that Armenia had no other reliable allies than Russia itself. But let’s take a look at what happened in 2016 July, even during Serzhik Sargsyan’s presidency – Azerbaijan attacked Karabagh and in 4 short days occupied 32 strategic posts around Karabagh, before Putin pleased to call for a ceasefire. Fast forward to 2018 and the “election” of this idiot Pashinyan, installed by the freemasons of the Soros Foundation for “democracy”…. not only he managed to anger Putin to the point of no return, but he also was duped by the EU and NATO agents that the “West” will lend a helping hand and defend Armenia and Karabagh in the event of aggresion by the Azerbaijani bastards.
Argument: If Vladimir Putin cared just a gram for Armenia and the Armenian people, including Armenians of Nagorno-Karabagh, he would not have thrown Armenia under the crushing train just to show his disdain of Pashinyan the idiotic clown. The Azeri aggression of Sep 2020 and the ensuing defeat of the Armenian forces was a direct result of Pashinyan’s incompetence and his failure to prepare the Armenian armed forces for that imminent war, yes, but at the same time it was Russia’s treacherous betrayal of its little ally, Armenia, in the time when Russia’s help and support was most urgently needed. To pour fuel on fire, the Russian “peacekeeper” forces did absolutely nothing to protect the Armenian people of Artsakh in late 2022 and we lost Nagorno-Karabagh in its entirety to the Azeri pigs.
Conclusion: there is no easy solution to the ongoing crisis in Armenia and its haphazard weak politics presently; the Number One urgency is, at all costs, to get rid of Pashinyan the traitor to TEACH A LESSON to all future leaders of Armenia.
TWO: Militarize all of Armenia with a 15% of GDP Defence Budget. If the Russian Federation won’t consider taking Armenia back as a protege-ally, then find another major power to back Armenia politically/militarily/economically.
THREE: Stat working immediately on a Nuclear Arms Program.
FOUR: Dismantle all remnants of the Soros Foundation and its foreign agents and abrogate all military relationships with the US .
Interesting how you changed your tune all of a sudden. Alas, your understanding of events and of the situation in general is very shallow, to say the least. Russians were never on our side regarding Artsakh. Artsakh was our fight, not Russia’s. After the Western financed color revolution of 2018 in Armenia, Russians had no obligations towards Armenians whatsoever. So, stop complaining as the last six years is what your “independence from Russia” looks like. If you really think Armenia can independently develop nuclear weapons, you also live in lala land. Too late to rid Armenia of its Western cancer. The tumor has metastasized. After Russians take care of business in Ukraine, I hope they bring Armenia back to its sense as well.
https://www.armenpress.am/eng/news/1091867.html#:~:text=The%20bill%20was%20approved%20by,semi%2Dautomatic%20rifles%20or%20shotguns
Armenia allows civilians to have semiautomatic weapons. They are NOT shooting each other to nearly the same extent than in the US.
Russia is Armenia’s only possible ally.
Iran? – They’re Muslims, the Armenian Church would never tolerate it.
France, Germany? – Too far away and too ininterested. Macron likes to ponce about as if France is a great power but they have no resources to spare for Armenia.
America? Can’t find Armenia on a map, sexually confused and tearing itself apart over pronouns.
Armenians are the only ones who are ever going to die for Armenia. Armenians cannot subscribe the defence of Armenia to others.
Fortress Armenia is the only way forward. The Armenian Army must mount a coup, send Paahinyan packing, face down the Turks and build Fortress Armenia.
No, Armenia does not need nuclear weapons but it does need long range missiles. As long as the Turks know that Armenia has the missiles to destroy Istanbul and Baku, they will behave themselves.
There is no need to destroy Istanbul, because Istanbul is expected to be destroyed by the long-awaited 7-8 magnitude earthquake in this decade or in the next decade at the latest, with a predicted death toll ranging from hundreds of thousands to a few million.
Armenia indeed must arm itself with the most modern weapons, and crucially develop and build up its own arms industry; as well as diversify and reform its economy. It must not rely on one country or a few countries for its national defense and for its economy. The reliance on Russia for antiquated second-rate weapons and subjugating its economy, has ultimately proved disastrous for Armenia.
This became inevitable, after electing a maverick journalist called Nikol Pashinyan, who has no experience in administration, foreign affairs and economics, and who tore up Armenia’s foreign policy by his reckless pro-Western shift without gaining a safety net and without a Plan B or C, which angered Russia and subsequently punished Armenia by shifting its support to the authoritarian, anti-Western and more pro-Russian Azerbaijan. This traitor’s disastrous policies led to the destruction of Artsakh and has weakened Armenia to the point of threatening its existence.
Pashinyan is a national security threat for Armenia, and the longer he and his ilk stays in power, Armenia is heading for suicide. In order for Armenia to recuperate, reorganize and arm itself, the national security threat of Pashinyan, as well as his allies, needs to be removed ASAP.
@Steve M
Hear! Hear!
Some of the comments here are beyond ridiculous. The idea that Armenia “betrayed” Russia is a lie. It never left the CSTO or the EAEU. It never declared any intention to join NATO or the EU.
Russian betrayal of Armenia spans centuries, and the 2020-23 losses we suffered were from Russian treachery. Armenia has been under Russia’s influence almost continuously since 1828.
Seeing all of these posters talk about how Pashinyan is a “Sorosite” shows how conspiracy-laden Armenian society is. There is no room for discussion of anything with this attitude.
You are engaging in disinformation in an attempt to whitewash the disastrous effects of Western influence in Armenia. There were several major players that brought Pashinyan to power. These were: NED, Open Society, USAID, European Counsil. British Counsil and a large network of Western financed NGOs. What I am saying can be proven in court. Regarding your other Russophobic point, had Russians not come down to the south Caucasus in the early 19th century and repopulated the territory with Armenians, there would be no Armenia today. It’s because of people like you that Moscow has in recent years downgraded its ties with Armenia. This is why I keep saying, enjoy your “independence” from Russia.
Armenians are systematically being led to the slaughter once again because Armenians refuse to understand the nature and character of the political world they live in once again. With a people this politically illiterate and out of touch with reality, I guess it could not have been any other way. I hope all you champions of “independence”, “democracy” and “westernization” are enjoying the nightmare of the past 6 years. You got your dream in 2018 in the form of a Western-financed “democratic” revolution in Armenia. You then got what you truly deserved in 2020, a historic defeat. The only way to save what’s left of Armenia today is to bring her back to Mother Russia. Armenia wont surive in a place like the south Caucasus without Russia. Armenia was resurrected by Russia. Armenia belongs with Russia. All other “solutions” for Armenia will only prolong the misery and put the country’s very existence in danger.
-he is a chosen traitor…
-he’s a liar…
-Thousands of police officers are responsible for protecting him and his surroundings. The salaries and bonuses of the security personnel are made with money borrowed from abroad…
-Civilian-military traitors, who care about their own pockets, prefer those who pay the highest commission for the weapons they buy from the army…
-With outdated weapons that are useless,
-Incompetent military-civilian administrators who have no other qualifications than to swear allegiance to Pashinyan…
-Eastern Armenia must be saved as soon as possible from the dishonorable people who knowingly send 17-18 year old young people to death without hesitation…
@ K
How exactly is Armenian incompetence Russia’s fault?
Pashinyan declared that Artsakh was part of Azerbaijan – how is that Russia’s fault?
Pashinyan declared that the Armenian Army would not fight for Artsakh – how is that Russia’s fault?
When Armenians refuse to die for Artsakh, why on Earth should any Russian?
These professional Russophobes are not here to engage in honest debate or discussion. They are simply tasked with spreading disinformation knowing that a significant portion of Armenian society is stupid enough to believe their lies. As I keep saying, political illiteracy, cognitive dissonance and blind pursuit of “democracy” is how we got to where we are today…
Gurgen, try and address my points. Russia’s treachery exists despite Pashinyan’s obedience to them between 2018-20. It’s amazing how you will find any excuse to defend Russia.
@k
Pashinyans obedience to russia from 2018-2020? By imprisoning the head of the CSTO, an Armenian named Khachaturov?
Your Pashinyan is led and fiannced by Western and Turkish interests. I can prove this in court. Your Pashinyan cannot abandon the Eurasian Union or CSTO overnight as Russia controls major economic levers over Armenia. Your Pashinyan is therefore trying to do it slowly. As for Russia, with an Armenia under Western and Turkish influence, Moscow is simply playing geopolitics and carrying out its statecraft.
Fact: Pashinyan was brought to the political scene by Western and Turkish interests. This was done ahead of the war in Ukraine because they knew Russia’s position in the south Caucasus would be weakened somewhat as a result. Fact: with Armenia having fallen victim to a Color Revolution in 2018 and needing better ties with Ankara and Baku because of its war against the collective West in Ukraine, Moscow gave Yerevan the “independence” Armenians were desperately seeking from Russia. Fact: Russians were never obligated under any treaty to fight for Artsakh. Artsakh was Armenia’s fight, not Russia’s. Fact: after Pashinyan officially abandoned Artsakh on October 2022 (right after Russia suffered a major setback in Ukraine), Russia’s presence in Artsakh became pointless. Fact: Nikol Pashinyan are his supporters are 100% responsible for the nightmare Armenia and Artsakh has been living through during the past six years. Fact: individuals who constantly fearmonger about Russia are either agents of Western/Turkish influence or idiots, or both. Fact: if Russia pulled its hand fully away from Armenia today, Armenia would disappear from the world map tomorrow…
Hey man, this is the North Caucasus…
Not Europe… Surrounded by enemies on all sides…
Put your fantasies in the right place…
We haven’t forgotten the nonsense you and your wife did before the war.
Where are those photos?
You deleted these from the official site…
Ms. PASHINYAN CHALLENGES Azerbaijanis by wearing a military uniform…
You filled it up…
You sent 16-17 year old children to die..
What did you do when the severed heads of 80-90 year old Armenians were circulating on the internet…
You deceived the ARMENIANS with lies every day..
You and the people around you are a complete…
Hopeless bastard…
Why is Armenia allowing this traitor to continue to lead? He’s intentionally destroying the mother land! As an Armenian Armenian whose grandparents survived the genocide, I’m watching in horror at what’s happening over there. I believe at this rate, Armenia will cease to existing in a few years.