On February 4, 2025, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., discussing Armenia’s foreign policy and the country’s efforts to promote regional peace and cooperation.
Upon his arrival in Washington on February 3, Pashinyan was met with protests near the Armenian Embassy, where posters critical of his policies were displayed, including messages such as, “Artsakh betrayed,” “Hostages abandoned” and “Armenian land occupied.” Members of the Armenian Youth Federation in the U.S. also placed a banner on the embassy wall reading, “Pashinyan failed Armenians.”
Pashinyan was joined at the Atlantic Council by John Herbst, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and Uzbekistan. After Pashinyan’s speech, a Q&A session followed between the two, along with a closed-door discussion with experts.
In his address, Pashinyan outlined Armenia’s foreign policy approach, emphasizing the country’s pursuit of a balanced and diversified strategy. He explained that Armenia’s independence and sovereignty are the core priorities of the government’s foreign policy. Pashinyan noted that Armenia aims to reduce its dependence on a few countries and instead strengthen ties with a broad range of partners.
“We are focused on our regional relations, because how we will be independent and secure will mainly depend on what kind of relations we have in our region,” Pashinyan said, referencing the closed borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan. “We have deep relations with our neighbors, Georgia and Iran, but we want to open a new era in our relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan.”
Pashinyan highlighted significant progress made in negotiations with Azerbaijan. “We are discussing a draft peace treaty with Azerbaijan, and now we have reached full agreement on 15 out of 17 points of that treaty. There are two points left on which we still need to reach a final agreement. We hope to complete this process as soon as possible,” he said. The prime minister emphasized that international support and attention are vital to ensuring a sustainable peace in the region.
He also addressed Armenia’s ongoing dialogue with Turkey, noting that discussions are progressing. “We have a very specific agreement to open our [mutual] border to citizens of third countries and people holding diplomatic passports, and we hope to achieve the implementation of this agreement as soon as possible,” Pashinyan added.
On Armenia’s position in regional alliances, Pashinyan noted that while Armenia remains a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, it has suspended its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization due to the failure of the Russian-led military bloc to guarantee Armenia’s security. “We are in the process of diversifying our foreign relations in all areas, from economy to security. We are deepening our relations with the European Union,” he remarked, referencing the European Union’s civilian mission deployed along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
Pashinyan also discussed Armenia’s growing ties with the United States and the European Union (EU), particularly noting the Strategic Partnership Charter signed between Armenia and the U.S. this month. He expressed hopes for a deeper collaboration with Washington. “We hope to open a new page in our relations with the United States,” he said.
In terms of Armenia’s internal developments, Pashinyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to advancing democratic reforms. He emphasized the importance of democracy in ensuring national security, noting, “We see prosperity, happiness, freedom, protection of human rights, an independent judiciary and, in general, success for our citizens” as essential for securing the country’s future.
During the Q&A session, Herbst asked Pashinyan about the challenges of convincing the Armenian people to support negotiations with Azerbaijan. Despite skepticism in Armenia about the peace agenda, Pashinyan responded that the government views peace as the only reliable tool for ensuring security and prosperity.
“It is impossible to have real and growing independence, prosperity and security without peace,” Pashinyan said. “Peace is key. We cannot have democracy in an environment of war.”
Of the remaining unresolved points in the treaty with Azerbaijan, Pashinyan explained that the two key issues concern the deployment of third-party forces along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and international legal complaints.
The EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) was launched in 2022 to observe and report on the situation along the border, strengthen Armenia’s security and support regional stability. “Azerbaijan proposes a ban on the deployment of third-party forces along the border—meaning EUMA. We take note of this desire of Azerbaijan and have made our own proposal to apply that [provision] only to the demarcated sectors of the border,” Pashinyan said. This development follows the European Council’s decision on January 30 to extend the mandate of EUMA for an additional two years, with a €44 million budget allocated to its operations.
“The point concerns the complaints filed against each other in legal institutions. The idea is to call back all these complaints. In general, we are not against this idea either,” Pashinyan continued.
In response to Pashinyan’s comments at the Atlantic Council, former Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian posted a lengthy criticism on Facebook. “His willingness to withdraw cases, despite Armenia’s clear legal victories, is nothing short of further capitulation. Azerbaijan has demanded this, and Pashinyan is complying,” Oskanian wrote.
“The legal cases Armenia has pursued are not mere bargaining chips; they are essential mechanisms for exposing Azerbaijan’s aggression, ethnic cleansing and gross human rights violations,” he continued.
In a separate post, Oskanian argued that recognizing the new reality post-2020 war in Artsakh does not mean abandoning historical facts or weakening national identity. “At its core, Armenia’s national interest must remain the preservation of its sovereignty and security. This requires strengthening military capabilities, enhancing intelligence operations, ensuring strategic deterrence and practicing prudent diplomacy,” Oskanian said.
“Pashinyan fails to grasp that diplomacy is a two-way street — it requires mutual engagement,” Oskanian continued. “His appeasement of Azerbaijan is neither valued nor effective, doing nothing to alter Baku’s aggressive and expansionist posture toward Armenia. His so-called realism is deeply flawed, stemming from ignorance, a fundamental misreading of geopolitical realities and a primary focus on preserving his own position — leaving Armenia increasingly vulnerable to future threats.”
Ultimately, Oskanian concluded, national resilience is built on a firm grasp of historical truths, combined with strategic adaptability. Pashinyan’s approach, which prioritizes short-term peace over historical continuity, is a dangerous game. Armenia’s survival and sovereignty, he argued, depend not on rewriting history, but on learning from it — using the lessons of the past to strengthen the future, rather than allowing external pressures to dictate its national narrative.
Echoing Oskanian’s statements, Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), emphasized the importance of accountability in peace efforts. “There can be no peace absent accountability — a reckoning with Azerbaijan’s crimes, the release of Armenian hostages, the removal of Azerbaijani forces from Armenia and the return of Armenians to Artsakh,” Hamparian stated to the Weekly.
He continued, “Each unilateral concession by Pashinyan to Azerbaijan invariably leads to renewed Azerbaijani demands for yet more unilateral concessions — a relentless cycle of surrender that cedes ever more Armenian soil, security and sovereignty.”
Hoory Minoyan
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I agree: His so-called realism is deeply flawed, stemming from ignorance, a fundamental misreading of geopolitical realities and a primary focus on preserving his own position — leaving Armenia increasingly vulnerable to future threats.”
Listening to Mr. Pashinyan I was impressed with his grasp of the English language. We need to remember how challenging and difficult it is to convey one’s opinions in such a forum when it is not one’s native tongue.
We Armenians know and heard, many of us first hand, the atrocities our ancestors endured. To us the displacement of the indigenous people of Artsakh and the holding of POWS and government officials is criminal, immoral behavior. There is no question as to what happened. These transgression have happened over the past 125 years and really only Armenians care and we naturally carry this ongoing scar. To everyone else these transgressions have become the ‘norm’ of aggressive, belligerent behavior.
To dwell upon these horrific events and and to continually rub the nose of the Turks in their shameful history of murder is self destructive. For the sake of preserving whatever is left of our ancestral homeland let’s just take these past events off the table in future discussions. We can agree to disagree, forgive somewhat as Christians, but NEVER forget who we are dealing with. Armenians worldwide need to look forward and strive to establish normalized relationships with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenia needs this to survive.
You guys dont seem to get it…. The Turks will not give until they have taken our lands and realized their Turanic strategy, if you really think they want peace please tell us last time the Turks gave peace a chance without bloodshed and occupation. The only language they understand is language of force, and for Armenia to survive we must become the most armed and most war ready nation on earth.
We didn’t learn anything from the past, we should have always remembered Kherimian Hayrig’s ‘Paper Ladle’ instead of blaming others, we should blame ourselves.
Well said akhper. The entire male population of Hayastan must be combat ready. The resources of the Armenian diaspora must be leveraged to pay for infrastructure and defence capabilities. PR operations overseas need to be revolutionised, because it’s embarrassing to just get a bunch of people standing outside embassies with paper banners. I would go as far as dictating that every adult Armenian who earns a wage should be required to pay into a national fund specifically for improving Armenia’s readiness for the impending, total war.
I agree 💯 with your comment. We need peace in order to survive. Those who are pushing for another war, they should know and admit that the enemy was not only Türks and Azerice during the Karabagh war.
Sona, the turks dont want peace as you understand it. They want Armenia’s total subjugation and to occupy the last remnants of original Armenia.
So what you’re suggesting is Armenia grovel at the feet of its abusers. Got it 👍🏼
At the end of the day, let’s not forget that Mr. Pashinyan represents the democratic will of the Armenian people. Armenia is now a “Westernized” country with “European” aspirations, remember? Therefore, please show the duly-elected leader of Armenia some respect, as he is the Western-financed political activist a clear majority of our “people”, both in the homeland and in the diaspora, wanted to lead Armenia not only in 2018 but also in 2020, 2021 and 2023. If you naysayers believe in “democracy”, “Westernization” and “the American way”, stop your constant complaining and start supporting Mr. Pashinyan in his historic mission, a mission he was given a mandate for by the “people”.
PS: I would really like to see Russia cut-off all financial, economic and energy ties with Armenia (the only thing keeping the remote, landlocked and impoverished nation afloat) and take its troops stationed on Armenia’s border with Turkey (the only thing keeping NATO-member Turkey out of Armenia) back to Russia. Sometimes you just have to let a terminally ill patient die (ala Kevorkian)…
Somebody should investigate who financed velvet revolution in Armenia, NO body on earth gives money for free, and all favours should be paid back and I believe now Pashinian is paying back.
If republics could get established or survive while begging for peace, on hand and knee, then there would be thousands of republics throughout the world. Yet there aren’t. There are only a couple of hundred. They are the ones who stood strong and fought for their rights as a nation, and therefore came to have and hold on to a country of their own.
Everyone knows that this is how the world works.
So why did Nigol start his government by taking steps to push away our allies and various security guarantors, mainly Russia? Why was some of the very first acts he did include ending a long-time joint intelligence committee with Russia while also freezing bank accounts of Iranians (acts which left us defenseless during the 44 Day Artsakh war)?
The answer is not too difficult to figure out. It’s because he serves at the pleasure of those who brought him to power and those who keep him in power, which are anti-Russian and anti-Iranian powers.
Those powers are not interested in anything that Armenia has to offer, other than the promise to weaken Russian forces in the region.
Accordingly, Nigol isn’t working towards peace. On the contrary, he is merely handing over Armenia to Turkey on a silver platter. Meanwhile he’s holding on to his seat so that he and his corrupt buddies can continue to steal as much money from foreign loans as possible.
This is the hard reality on the ground in Armenia.
Pashinyan was able to take office in part due to the disquiet that Russia it’s main ally was a key supplier to Azerbaijan to whom it must have been obvious that Azerbaijan was most unlikely to be using the weapons upon Russia, Georgia, Iran and Turkey but solely upon ally Armenia. With friends like these as the saying goes. As for Iranian bank accounts, as the USA is intent on pressuring Iran and controls the SWIFT transaction system Armenia didn’t really have much choice but to comply with US requests.
Whilst he is a Manchurian candidate the hard truth is Armenia was being played about by ally Russia and it’s hegemony from 1994 was ailing although was yet to demonstrated just as to how much. Clashes in 2016 were stopped before it could escalate but it revealed Azerbaijan new capacity and the changed reality which many Armenians chose to ignore…
Nikol the weak has globally embarrassed our nation with his tactic of negotiating on his knees, having witnessed first hand how he handled the 2020 war, I can say with confidence he has a lot to answer for. He is a naive failed reporter, at best with average intelligence, along with Ararat his FM both have displayed serious levels of incompetence when dealing with Russia, Azerbaijan , Turkey and the West. One can never negotiate when he refuses to stand up like a man. And the Turks have played him well.
Sadly many posters remain in denial about how much Armenia had fallen behind Azerbaijan in the arms race since 1994 . As for the pro Russia brigade look at the mad max nature of their military now even if their adversary Ukraine is short of heavy equipment as well. Assad of Syria seemed to be secure having won back much of the country but would actually be found to be hopelessly corrupted and weak and in 11 days collapsed. Pashinyan is a poor leader but the hard truth is that Armenia was largely unaware still riding on the glory of 1994.
I agree.
This is what happens when you delude yourself that Geography does not matter.
Pashinyan and his ilk seem to believe that Armenia is in the heart of Europe surrounded by cuddly Westerners who will pour money in.
In the real world, Armenia is in the extreme south-east of Europe surrounded by barbarians on its eastern and western borders.
Nobody from Western Europe or America is ever coming.
Pashinyan is trying to get Armenia to commit suicide.
During the last war in Artsakh we lost. We lost because we were betrayed by the Army leaders and the present governing government who they don t even know how to lead a nation. Plus don t forget Turkish and Israeli drones were brought in Azerbaidjian to destroy the Armenian army and kick the Armenians out of Artsakh , And you think that Turkey is going to be friendly with Armenia ? Armenia is the door towards the eastern asian countries that Turkey wants to unite and form a new Turkish Empire to the east but by destroying Armenia which is in its way. Strenghten the Armenian Army with new technology ,no one is coming to fight for us.
To begin with, the genocide issue is a pan-Armenian issue. Therefore, discussions and policy decisions cannot be confined to some defeatist and loathed regime in Armenia.
Whereas Netanyahu is received by Trump like Royalty and Israel is rewarded and pampered by the United States like no other country, Pashinyan is not received at all by US officialdom and he looks like some help who arrived and left through the back door only to humiliate with his defeatism Armenia even more.
Steve M it’s common knowledge that Trump and Netanyahu get on brilliantly. Also the close and controlling nature of the USA Israel relationship. Nothing that wasn’t obvious. Even with Armenia distancing from Russia who was never the kind of friend that the USA is to Israel, Armenia can hardly expect to be treated with equal importance by the USA. Just as anti Armenianism will never be a universal phenomenon like anti Semitism.
Pashinyan went all the way to America and didn’t even see Presiden Trump.
What a loser!
Pashinyan is an insignificant man and President Trump was right not to see him.