May 26, 2026
As part of the military parade-report to be held on May 28, it came to light that the RA authorities have decided to change the emblem of the RA Armed Forces, as the one depicted in the posters posted on the Republic Square is significantly different.
The proposed version of the coat of arms includes the tricolor of Armenia, the map of Armenia “developed” by Nikol Pashinyan, and an eagle with a sword in one hand and a cross in the other, i.e., the place of the cross has been changed.
And the official coat of arms of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia depicts the flag of the Republic of Armenia without the map of “real Armenia”.
Official of the Ministry of Defense from the website We are informed that the official coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia was approved on January 23, 2001 by the President of the Republic of Armenia, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Robert Kocharyan.
The coat of arms is depicted on a rectangular shield at the top and a semicircular shield at the bottom. In the upper edge, on a horizontal blue background, it is written in white letters: “Armenia”, below, corresponding to the semicircle, in blue: “ARMED FORCES” the words.
The remaining field of the shield with emblematic (heraldic) elements is composed of the following pictorial parts: in the center is depicted a winged eagle with its head turned to the right, each wing of the eagle consists of seven feathers (the number 7 symbolizes the number of days of the creative week, the 15 states of historical Armenia can also be understood with the eagle’s head).
The eagle is executed in dark blue and is the central figure on the coat of arms. Indicates strength, power, insight, agility, will. Of course, all these features are characteristic of the country’s guard army.
The eagle’s head is depicted on the round disk of the sun, which also means: as long as the sun exists, so will Armenia and the Armenian armed forces. On the rays of the sun, the tricolor flag, the state symbol of Armenia, is depicted in the gap between the eagle’s wings. which certifies that the armed forces of Armenia are under the auspices of the state.
The eagle’s body forms the Armenian round shield, realized in dark and light shades of apricot. The shield symbolizes that the armed forces are the bulwark and guardian of the country’s existence.
Inside the shield is depicted an equal-winged cross, which is a symbol of our Christian heritage and faith.
The last emblematic element is the sword.
It is located horizontally under the shield. On the right is the hilt of the sword, on the left is the edge of the sword.
The sword is a symbol of eternal state and is ready to fall on the head of the enemy for the sake of the native. In terms of heraldic iconography, with its exposed sections, the sword parts also symbolize the eagle’s talons, completing the eagle-armed forces symbol.
According to Gegham Manukyan, a member of the NA “Armenia” alliance, the current authorities are corrupting like any lasting, institutional idea, structure, and now it is the turn of the RA Armed Forces coat of arms.
“While taking such a step without professional discussions on the most important issues related to the broadest institutional structure of our country, at least speaks of one thing: the CP representing the government considers the RA armed forces as one of their party offices, and not as a pan-Armenian and pan-popular structure. I don’t want to go into all the aesthetic details, because every detail is already problematic: the idea of the shield, the cross, and the eagle with outstretched wings, which is completely in their policy of “fitting in a blanket”, moreover, they stuck an outline of a map on the coat of arms. These are all RA official documents: Constitution, laws on coat of arms and anthem, none of the RA state attributes, but are associated with the ideas of Nikol Pashinyan and CP. If this continues, perhaps they will also eliminate the anthem of the RA Armed Forces, the song “Yeraz im yerkir htori” declared the anthem of the army at the initiative of Vazgen Sargsyan,” 168.amGegham Manukyan mentioned in a conversation with
We have tried to find out from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia if there is a developed sketch that includes these changes, what is the idea behind each of these changes? For example, in the official coat of arms of the RA Armed Forces, the sword is in a horizontal position under the shield, and the hilt of the sword can be seen on the right side, on the left – the tip of the sword, and in the version circulating in the military parade, the sword is in the hand of an eagle with the tip of the sword facing up, or, by some logic, the place of the cross has been changed.
The Ministry of Defense has not yet responded, we will publish the response as soon as we receive it.
And before that, let’s recall another similar episode. In January 2020, a new version of the emblem of the RA Ministry of Defense was circulated, which was perceived as the emblem of the RA Armed Forces, and gave rise to various comments: “there is no power in it, the lion’s wings have nothing to do with the animal, the swords are not Armenian, the Armenian crosses have been flourishing since the Urartian region, and the Celtic one is a combination of the Scandinavian emblems of Thor and Odin”, etc.
And the fact that there is a discussion about a new version of the Ministry of Defense emblem became clear in the context of the Army Day celebration, because it was printed on the invitation card.
At that time, Deputy of the “My Step” faction of the National Assembly, Alexei Sandikov 168.amin a conversation with
“I saw that sketch on other users’ pages, there were professional discussions among different designers, where people expressed their comments, both about the aesthetic appearance and the flaws. Discussions are, of course, productive because different points of view are voiced. Used for the first time as a logo, the purpose of which is to listen to the opinion of the public. Nothing prevents designers from contacting the Ministry of Defense with their proposals.”
And Artsrun Hovhannisyan, spokesperson of the RA Ministry of Defense clarification spread that it is not about the coat of arms of the Armed Forces.
“This is not the coat of arms of the RA Armed Forces, but a version of the coat of arms of the RA Defense Ministry.
If we leave aside our personal opinions, several circumstances are important here.
.This is a draft, not official, not final.
2. Neither in this picture, nor in yesterday’s circulated picture, the symmetry of the lines may not be preserved, because it is not a vector file.
3. This project can become official in case of public support. It can become.”
Then publicly these rumors died down.
Let’s go back to the coat of arms and make a domestic political observation, especially when we don’t have an official response from the Ministry of Defense.
The coat of arms of the RA Armed Forces was once approved by the second President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, who today as a candidate for the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia is participating in the National Assembly elections, and Nikol Pashinyan puts the new coat of arms into circulation right before the elections, which, willy-nilly, becomes a “subject” of political struggle.
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“The Turkish railway march”. From Armenia to the Arab region”
May 26, 2026
of the joint working group held in Kars in mid-May regular during the session, the representatives of Turkey and Armenia, according to the report, “in accordance with the agreements on the regulation of Armenian-Turkish relations, emphasized the importance of quickly commissioning the Gyumri-Akhurik-Doghunkapi-Kars railway (146 km).
It is assumed that this line will not only “provide permanent communication between the two countries”, will also become an integral part of the “Trans-Caspian route”, which connects Asia and Europe, bypassing the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the operation of this artery is no less dependent on Russia, because, despite not all recent scandals, the railway infrastructure of Armenia, according to the concession agreement of 2008, is under the management of the company “Russian Railways” (РЖД) for 30 years, represented by its subsidiary “South Caucasian Railway” (SCR).
The two sides are also discussing other joint transport and logistics projects within the framework of the development of the well-known “Trump” corridor, including, for example, the opening of an automobile border checkpoint (it will work first for transit cargo and passenger flows) not far from the Gyumri-Kars railway, which has not been operational since 1993 by Ankara’s decision.
The profile portal of the Russian Federation (on May 12 of this year) notes. “The launch of this line will enable Armenia to be positioned” on key transport corridors, including the Trans-Caspian route, which is used to ship goods between China and Europe, bypassing Russia.
The route passing through Armenia will even shorten the transport distance compared to the transit through the territory of Georgia” (referring to its ports). Regular operation of this highway is expected from 2027.
Armenia has repeatedly expressed (including at the official level) in favor of changing the concessionaire, for example, by early handing over the concession from Russia to Kazakhstan. In the hypothetical implementation of this idea, the actual controller of that pulse will be the USA, within the framework of the recently dimmed idea of the “Trumpian” corridor.․..
Meanwhile, Turkey, Syria and Jordan started in the first ten days of May Hijaz Railway (more than 1300 km long) regeneration process, which is meant to connect the southeastern regions of Turkey with the Arabian Peninsula through the historical Levant (Lebanon and Syria) and Jordan.։
Being one of the largest infrastructure projects of the late Ottoman Empire more than a century ago, in its modern version it aims to connect Turkey to the Gulf countries and Yemen through the Arab region.
The project was given a new impetus on April 7 with the signing of an intergovernmental tripartite memorandum on cooperation in the transport sector in Amman.
The central point of the document is the creation of an integrated railway corridor, based on the idea of the restoration of the historical trans-regional Hijaz highway and its development. Two weeks after that The Minister of Transport of Saudi Arabia, Salih al-Jasser, said that the technical studies of the railway route, “which should connect Saudi Arabia with Turkey through the territory of Jordan and Syria, is planned to be completed at the end of this year.” At that time, Riyadh joined the said memorandum.
Turkish experts according to՝ “the project, which was conceived more than a century ago by Sultan Abdul Hamid II as a route to the holy cities of Islam, is making a comeback today as a new land trade corridor between Europe and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula.”
In the future, this rail route is planned to be extended through Saudi Arabia to Oman (one option is through South Yemen), thus “ringing” the land corridor from Anatolia to the Red Sea basin and the Arab ports of the Persian Gulf (taking into account the existing rail connection of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Kuwait, UAE and Qatar).
The modern Hejaz line, the Turkish Ministry of Transport notes, is designed for trains running at a speed of 150-200 km per hour, and can be used not only for freight traffic, but also for passenger transportation, including religious and cultural tourism.
In a broader context, according to Istanbul University associate professor Ali Ozgur Karagül, the growth of foreign trade volumes of the Persian Gulf countries in recent years, combined with Turkey’s geopolitical and economic position in the region, has pushed the transport corridor between Europe and the Gulf states to the fore, because there can no longer be a “single global trade route” in the global system. Accordingly, local transport corridors and trade routes are brought to the fore.”
In the same applied context, “everything from railway infrastructure to electrification, signaling and rolling stock must be revised to meet the needs of the newly created line. And Turkey should make significant efforts to revive the line passing through its and its surrounding territories. This artery, for now without extensions to Yemen and Oman, according to preliminary planning, will be put into operation no later than 2029.
Alexey Baliev
vpoanalytics.com
Translation by Zhanna Avetisyan
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Pashinyan knows he is losing… They will go to “Plan B”. Hayk Nahapetyan
May 26, 2026
The situation of Nikol Pashinyan and the Political Agreement is sad in the upcoming elections. Nikol Pashinyan’s state of mind shows that he knows the real picture of the elections and the possibility of his defeat. 168 TVof Revue expressed such a view on the air of the program Colonel of the reserve forces of the RA Armed Forces, military expert Hayk Nahapetyanthetalking about the pre-election campaign for the National Assembly elections.
“The state of Pashinyan and the Political Agreement is sad, and the best indicator of this is the state of mind of a person. When a person has problems, his behavior shows his inner state of mind, tensions, outbursts. Do you want to understand, look at Pashinyan’s state of mind in the last 7-8 days? This is not the Pashinyan who used to go by bus with his friends, which he had no right to do, met people with love, showed hearts.
It is true that there were some harsh words, but he was so patient, he accepted what people said with love, and now when you say the word Artsakh, it explodes, when you say about losses, you immediately say insulting words. This is his state of mind, and this state of mind is also transmitted to his teammates,” commented Hayk Nahapetyan.
According to the expert, Nikol Pashinyan’s unbalanced behavior and mental state during the last two weeks of the campaign is a very important indicator. According to the expert, during the last week, Pashinyan often loses his self-control, which speaks about his inner state of mind. According to Hayk Nahapetyan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Yerevan is due to this very circumstance.
“I assume that Pashinyan most likely knows about the real numbers and the probability of his defeat. According to different estimates, in Yerevan and in marzes, in rural areas, the number of his rating drop is double-digit. This is an indicator in itself. This means that Pashinyan may not get even 400,000 votes. Pashinyan surely knows about the decline,” Nahapetyan thinks.
Citing the data of various sociological surveys, Nahapetyan predicts that if about one and a half million citizens participate in the NA elections, the percentage of Pashinyan’s fixed electorate in the total number of voters who participated in the voting will be quite low.
According to Hayk Nahapetyan, this means that if, according to opinion polls, the percentage of the votes of the three main opposition forces, “Strong Armenia”, “Armenia” bloc, and the PAP is greater than that of the CP, then the repetition of the Gyumri elections becomes the most undesirable scenario for the current government.
According to Hayk Nahapetyan, if Pashinyan does not manage to raise his rating in the coming days, then the structures and states standing behind him will switch to “Plan B”, so to speak.
“Pre-election activity is quite high today, and Pashinyan knows it too, it is not like the 2021 National Assembly elections or Yerevan Council of Elders elections, according to various estimates, 60-65 percent, maybe even 70 percent, and in this case his defeat is 100 percent.
I assume that he knows about it, and if his rating does not rise sharply after the visit of the US Secretary of State and the May 28 parade, then those institutions and countries that are interested in the restoration of Nikol Pashinyan’s power will go to the second plan or “Plan B”, and the second plan, in my opinion, is the Moldovan scenario, that is, to remove one or two political opposition forces from the elections under various pretexts, with in which, let me say that the authorities are already preparing the political ground to do this.”
The expert adds that it refers, in particular, to Samvel Karapetyan’s “Strong Armenia” bloc and Gagik Tsarukyan’s PAP and the information campaign started against them.
“In Moldova, two opposition forces were not allowed to participate in the elections. If, a few days before the elections, they estimated that Pashinyan would not win, and these three forces that are entering the parliament, their votes will be 5, 6, 7 percent more in terms of money, and that is a significant difference, in that case they will try to leave one or two forces out of the fight.
Even if it is not possible to remove them, or it could lead to internal political upheavals, there is a third scenario: an emergency due to internal political tensions or clashes and shootings on the border. I think no one doubts that Pashinyan is the desired candidate of Aliyev and Erdogan,” Hayk Nahapetyan added.
In this situation, the military expert emphasizes that the fate of Armenia depends on the citizens of Armenia and every voter. According to Nahapetyan, the future of his child depends on every RA citizen.
«I identify June 7 with the battle of Sardarapat in 1918. Ultimately, if the Armenian side lost to the elite Turkish units in the Sardarapat battle, Armenia would no longer exist. I parallel June 7 with May 28, 1918, because the Turkish army, on the instructions of the political leadership of Turkey, had to completely de-Armenianize this area, which was to be completely occupied, and after that it is understandable, isn’t it, what threatened Armenia.
However, we were able to achieve that victory, because the one who did not go to battle was considered a deserter. Now June 7 is equal to May 28 in its significance, because by and large, the Turkic world, represented by Turkey, Azerbaijan and their patron states, have set the task of removing the Armenian wedge from “Great Turan”.
Hayk Nahapetyan also adds that in his opinion, based on the possible results of the war against Iran, the Trump administration is afraid that it may lose TRIPP in Armenia, that is why the US Secretary of State is rushing to Yerevan to sign a document on TRIPP.
According to the military expert, the important thing is to understand the seriousness of the moment and the goal of the ambitious plans of our two neighbors. According to a military expert, June 7 is a new Sardarapat, because the Turkic world, in the form of Turkey, Azerbaijan and their patron states, have set the task of removing the Armenian wedge from the British-Turkish project “Great Turan”, that is, eliminating Armenia geographically. And if the Armenian wedge is removed, we will lose statehood. According to Nahapetyan, we are the ones removing Pashinyan from power, and it is the voice of the citizens of Armenia that will decide the direction of Armenia’s development on June 7.
According to the expert, the danger hangs over Armenia like a sword of Damocles.
“Now the Turkic world continues the same work, the tools are different. The goal of the Turkic world and the British-Turkish project is to push us out of this region, so if the authorities of the day are re-established on June 7, they will implement the plan of the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem and their patron states. I am against it. The overwhelming majority is against it. The problem is that, being against, to what extent do we show the will to go to the polling station?
Don’t we say take arms, go to battle, but all we need is civil responsibility. If we understand this, there will definitely be motivation to go to the elections on June 7. When we emphasize and understand the extent of the danger, it can directly or indirectly force a person to go to the polling station on June 7.”
Let’s remind that according to the Central Electoral Commission, 2 489 031 (2 million 489 thousand 31) citizens of the Republic of Armenia have the right to vote in the National Assembly elections.
Full interview in the video.
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168: Don’t doubt for a minute that Nikol Pashinyan will not be in power on June 8
May 26, 2026
168TVof “Zara has a question” the guest of the program Hrant Bagratyan is the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, the Chairman of Azatutyun Party.
During the interview, the politician made observations about the pre-election period, possible post-election prospects, spoke about Armenia’s regional and geopolitical opportunities. Some excerpts from the interview are below:
- The West, together with Turkey and Azerbaijan, is trying to derail Armenia, and Armenia’s path is, however, to be in a certain economic area, EAEU, good relations with Russia and Iran (Armenia ruined it), relations with China, at the same time quite good relations with Europe. Russia says: integrate with Europe as much as you want, do whatever you want, I don’t care. The West, on the contrary. he says: you will get close to the Turks, and you will shake hands with Russia, China and Iran.
- I want to remind you that in 2018, after Nikol Pashinyan was accepted as Prime Minister, Bolton came here (Trump was the president at that time) and said: close the road to Iran.
- Let’s get one thing straight. Democracy and dictatorship in Europe changed their places long ago. It is not the Europe of 20-25 years ago.
- The Americans have a way to save TRIPP: to cooperate with the Russians, and Armenia has a way to say: let’s cooperate with the Russians. Pashinyan understands that if he is not there after June 7, the new authorities, in order not to be embarrassed by the paper signed on August 8, will have to think of a way to involve the Russians.
- As of today, Samvel Karapetyan is clearly defeating Nikol Pashinyan, and the problem of the opposition is that on the 7th of the month, Samvel Karapetyan, Robert Kocharyan, Gagik Tsarukyan should join hands so that their votes do not run away. The opposition will win with approximately this ratio, headed by Samvel Karapetyan: 60-65 percent, at least, Nikol Pashinyan’s bloc – 35-40. This is with the participation of 60 percent or more of citizens.
- There will be no power of Nikol Pashinyan on the 8th of the month. don’t doubt for a minute, don’t doubt for a minute, or else on the 7th of the month, they will start massive fights in the precincts, blaming the opposition. The opposition should beware of this. Let’s say, in any precinct they attack Tsarukyan’s representatives, the other 2 must protect him. Lights will be turned off, you will see…
- Azerbaijan imagines the territory of Armenia to be 27,000 km2 at best, and 12,000 at worst. Out of those 27, 15, Syunik and Vardenis, intends to settle Azerbaijanis, and thinks that they will be decided later, they will hold a referendum, they will join Azerbaijan, because in these geopolitical conditions, attacking and occupying will not work. At least, for now there is a Russian base that will protect us.
- Let him stand up and say: Azerbaijanis will not come, and if Azerbaijan wants 300,000 (although that number is unclear: in 1979 it was 165,000), then in that case 530,000 Armenians will have to return to Baku, Karabakh. Let him stand up and say.
- If we leave the EAEU, we won’t have gas, not that gas will be expensive, but we won’t have it at all. In other words, there will be a little gas in the amount of 20 percent, and it will come from Iran. We cannot pump 3 billion cubic meters of gas to Armenia through that gas pipeline. If we completely give up Russian liquid oil products, which is 97% of the market today, Azerbaijan does not have a reserve to replace it, there is simply no price, give it whatever you want. Where will we get the wheat from? In addition, last year, for example, we received 5 billion 900 million dollars in transfers from Russia. This will not happen.
- Turkey is not a good trade partner for us because our economies are symmetrical. Expansion will take place.
- Peace is possible only when Azerbaijan, in the face of Armenia, sees a strongly organized state. He will understand that he cannot enter just like that, occupying a village or a city.
- In the 8 years of their rule, poverty dropped from 23.5% to 21.7%. In Georgia, for example, poverty is 11%, in Azerbaijan – 6%. In all respects, before he came to power, Armenia was in a better condition than Georgia or Azerbaijan.
- Pensions actually decreased.
- Its economic success is a disgrace, it’s a shame, people, it’s a shame, you brought yourself to this state, it’s a shame, this kind of leadership with such “unprecedented” lies.
Details in the video
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RFE/RL – Tsarukian ‘Undaunted’ By Pashinian’s Threats
- Gayane Saribekian
Gagik Tsarukian, a wealthy businessman leading one of the three main opposition groups running in Armenia’s parliamentary elections, insisted on Tuesday that he remains undeterred by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s pledges to seize his business assets and properties.
Pashinian has been fiercely attacking Tsarukian and the two other opposition heavyweights, former President Robert Kocharian and Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetian, during his campaign rallies. He pledged to “take out” them when he was confronted by a disgruntled voter in Yerevan on May 18. Law-enforcement authorities have refused to act on what critics see as death threats.
Two days later, Pashinian announced the impending nationalization of Armenia’s largest cement plant belonging to Tsarukian. He went on to promise to “return to the people” the tycoon’s properties, notably a hilltop villa just outside Yerevan, in case of winning the June 7 elections.
“By 2031, Gagik Tsarukian’s mountaintop home should become a care center for the elderly,” the premier declared.
Campaigning in Yerevan’s western Malatia-Sebastia district, Tsarukian said that these statements will not stop him from trying to unseat Pashinian together with other opposition contenders.
“How can you do that for the sake of assets?” he told reporters. “You would forever become an enemy of the nation. Tsarukian is not that kind of entrepreneur. I have been informed that they [the authorities] are making preparations, began collecting [confiscation] papers two months ago. But I’ve said that I can never betray my homeland for the sake of property.”
Tsarukian also insisted that even if Pashinian wins reelection he will not cut any deals with the latter in order to save his assets.
Prosecutors already moved to confiscate the assets, including the cement plant, in 2023, invoking a controversial law that allows the state to seize money, property and companies deemed to have been acquired illegally. The confiscation has to be sanctioned by court. No such court ruling is known to have been handed down so far.
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Moscow Again Questions Armenia’s Future In Russian-Led Bloc
Underscoring heightened tensions with Yerevan, Russian officials continued to question on Tuesday Armenia’s membership in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) essential for its economy.
Following two European summits held in Yerevan on May 4-5, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Armenian government should choose “as soon as possible” between seeking to join the European Union or remaining part of the trade bloc comprising five ex-Soviet states. He is expected to bring up the matter at an EEU summit in Astana, Kazakhstan scheduled for Friday. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has said he will not attend the summit because he is busy campaigning for the June 7 parliamentary elections.
Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, told reporters that the Russian leader will discuss with his Belarusian, Kazakh and Kyrgyz counterparts “consequences” of Armenia’s possible exit from the EEU and “prospects for relations” with Yerevan.
Pashinian’s government enacted a year ago a law that commits it to striving for Armenia’s accession to the EU. But it remains reluctant to set possible dates for formally applying for EU membership and leaving the EEU. Moscow seems to be losing patience with this policy.
Pashinian stressed in this regard earlier this month that Armenia cannot be kicked out of the EEU without its consent. Ushakov acknowledged this while claiming that Yerevan itself may decide to leave the bloc. Another senior Russian official, State Duma vice-speaker Pyotr Tolstoy, said that Armenia could “very easily” lose the benefits of its EEU membership because of its government’s “anti-Russian” actions.
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RFE/RL – On Brief Stop In Armenia, Rubio Touts More Progress Towards ‘Trump R
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported major progress towards opening a U.S.-administered transit corridor for Azerbaijan through Armenia and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to deepen U.S.-Armenian relations during an hour-long visit to Yerevan on Tuesday.
Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan initialed a bilateral agreement on “strategic cooperation” regarding the planned Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) following short talks at Yerevan’s Zvartnots international airport.
The agreement reaffirms the key terms of a joint “implementation framework” for the TRIPP signed by the two men in January. Those include the creation of a joint U.S.-Armenian venture that will manage for at least 49 years a railway, a road, energy supply lines and other infrastructure to be built along the Armenian-Iranian border to connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave.
The U.S. government will own 74 percent of the TRIPP Development Company (TDC). The Armenian side is to grant the company “exclusive land use rights, development rights, related permissions, and all other rights” necessary for the transit arrangement.
“Armenia agrees that the TDC shall be empowered to select third parties to support each TRIPP Project established by the SPVs (TDC subsidiaries), including the third parties serving as the concessionaire, sponsors, operators, contractors, and EPC (engineering procurement & construction) providers of such TRIPP Project,” reads the agreement publicized by the Armenian Foreign Ministry.
“This agreement marks the biggest step to date on making this historic route a reality, on advancing peace, on increasing prosperity in Armenia and frankly in the region,” said Rubio, who spent less than an hour at the Yerevan airport on his way back from a visit to India.
“Our relationship is not simply limited to TRIPP,” he told reporters. “We are building upon that in so many different ways, and it’s a top priority of this [U.S.] administration.”
Rubio pointed to a new charter of U.S.-Armenian “strategic partnership” and a memorandum of understanding on the extraction of “critical minerals” signed by him and Mirzoyan. The latter said the documents will open “unprecedented opportunities” for Armenia.
Rubio made the brief stop in the Armenian capital less than two weeks before Armenia’s parliamentary elections. Some Armenian opposition leaders and commentators claimed ahead of his trip that it is designed to boost Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s reelection chances. Rubio praised Pashinian but stopped short of explicitly endorsing him, unlike U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who visited Yerevan in February.
“Both yourself and the prime minister [Pashinian] and your entire team here in Armenia are blazing the trail for the brighter and more independent future for Armenia, and we are very happy to be here to show my support for their courage, my support for their vision, my support for their dedication, my support for their willingness to see for the future of their country where it takes to get there. And we are very happy and proud to be a part of that, and we can’t wait to be more together,” said the top U.S. diplomat.
The three main opposition groups challenging Pashinian’s Civil Contract in the June 7 elections say that the TRIPP could endanger Armenia’s vital border with Iran. Some of their leaders have also said that it amounts to the kind of an extraterritorial corridor that has been sought by Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Iranian leaders have likewise spoken out against the TRIPP. They fear that it could lead to U.S. security presence along the Armenian-Iranian border. Some observers believe that Iran is even more opposed to the transit arrangement after its recent war with the United States and Israel.
Speaking at a news conference held after Rubio’s departure, Mirzoyan said the U.S.-Armenian agreement on the TRIPP will be signed after the two sides complete “some technical procedures.” That should happen “within weeks,” he said.
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‘Toy Story 5’ introduces Blaze, a horse-loving Black and Armenian character,
The beloved franchise is expanding its world with Blaze, a horse-loving mixed-race girl whose arrival helps reshape the future of playtime.
Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, Lilypad and Woody in Disney and Pixar’s TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar.
For more than 30 years, the world of “Toy Story” has revolved around a simple question: What happens when a child grows up?
In Disney and Pixar’s upcoming “Toy Story 5,” that question gets a modern update.
During an exclusive early preview event at Disneyland attended by theGrio, filmmakers revealed that the latest installment introduces Blaze, a new mixed-race character voiced by actress Mykal-Michelle Harris, alongside her Black mother, voiced by “Paradise” actress Krys Marshall. The film also marks a significant shift for the franchise, moving away from Andy and placing Bonnie (and Jessie) at the center of a story exploring what childhood looks like in an era dominated by screens.
The first 45 minutes screened for press showcase Jessie in her role as the leader of Bonnie’s toy room, navigating a new challenge when a tablet named Lily Pad arrives and quickly captures Bonnie’s attention. Another one of the film’s most exciting additions is Blaze, a confident, animal-loving 9-year-old who lives on a ranch outside town. During an interview with theGrio, co-director Kenna Harris discussed Blaze’s origins.
Blaze in Disney and Pixar’s TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. – Credit: Pixar
“Bonnie is dealing with some loneliness and wants to connect with others in the film, so the first idea was just like, who is an aspirational character that we’ll just be like, ‘Yes, Bonnie, go be her friend,’” Harris said.
The character quickly became a favorite inside Pixar.
“Matt Nolte, one of our character designers, came up with this lovely design of Blaze. She’s Black, she’s half Armenian. She has this gorgeous curly hair,” Harris told theGrio. “Immediately, we were just off to the races with the tech, because that kind of hair texture was a little bit new to the Pixar studio, but luckily we had a lovely culture trust of Black colleagues at the studio who were keeping us honest and making sure that Blaze looked as fantastic as she could. She’s one of my favorite characters now. She’s so awesome.”
Producer Lindsey Collins said Blaze’s impact was immediately apparent during audience testing.
“She’s actually everybody’s favorite,” Collins said. “We previewed it with audiences. She was like number two. It was Jessie and then Blaze as the favorite character. It was parents who were like, ‘I just want my kid to have a friend like Blaze.’”
Bringing Blaze to life required Pixar to develop new animation technology capable of accurately depicting tightly coiled hair.
According to visual effects supervisor Thomas Jordan, the character represents a milestone not only for the film but for the studio.
“Blaze was our very first character to have it,” Jordan told theGrio. “But that means all future Pixar films will have access to this. So it’s our hope that we can represent everyone now.”
Jordan also spoke about the culture trust Harris mentioned, saying the team consulted a group of Pixar employees with similar hair textures throughout production and even created a second hairstyle for scenes showing Blaze waking up in the morning after sleeping in a bonnet.
“It took me on a journey of learning what other people have to do to care for their hair,” he said.
While Blaze represents a major expansion of the franchise’s cultural landscape, “Toy Story 5” is equally focused on the realities facing today’s children.
(L-R): Bullseye, Jessie, and Lilypad in Disney and Pixar’s TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. – Credit: Pixar
The central conflict revolves around Lily Pad, a frog-shaped smart tablet voiced by Greta Lee, who believes she knows what’s best for Bonnie.
“Bonnie is special in a way that she hasn’t been affected by devices until the movie happens. She’s an inventive player, a creative character. She made Forky in the last movie. So she works with her hands,” production designer Bob Pauley told theGrio.
“This toy comes into her world for good purposes,” Pauley continued. “Her parents got the toy to make friends, but it’s kind of like when Buzz shows up in ‘Toy Story,’ and Woody was the big toy there. But in this case, it’s so foreign to all our toys. It’s like an alien landing. Bonnie’s a screen vampire, just stuck on this thing, and you can see where the toys are really worried. But Lily is trying to do her best, from her point of view, to help Bonnie. So it gets complicated.”
The filmmakers were careful not to turn the story into a simplistic anti-technology argument.
“We wanted it to feel real,” Harris said during a filmmaker Q&A. “Not squeaky-clean.”
Instead, the film explores how technology affects children’s ability to connect with one another.
“We realized that there comes an age, usually about seven or eight, where you start to branch out socially,” Stanton said. “That becomes the more important area of development.
(Center): Bonnie in Disney and Pixar’s TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. – Credit: Pixar
The filmmakers also saw the story as an opportunity to elevate Jessie into a leading role.
“It’s about time,” Stanton said in the production notes for the film.
For Harris, shifting the perspective from Andy and Woody to Bonnie and Jessie opened entirely new storytelling possibilities.
“The first few movies you get to explore with Andy, but Andy is one type of kid,” Harris told theGrio. “With Bonnie and Jessie, you get to show how messy girls are, how imaginative, how limitless. It’s not limiting the fact that we have two girls being focused on. It’s in fact freeing and just a breath of fresh air.”
That freedom is reflected in the film’s visual world as well. Bob Pauley described Blaze’s ranch as a warm, nostalgic counterpoint to Bonnie’s increasingly tech-driven environment.
When asked about introducing a Black and Armenian family into the franchise, Pauley said the goal was to create something authentic and familiar.
“It’s a family that you see everywhere,” he told theGrio. “It’s a familiar family that’s not exactly the way you think it would be, but it’s nuanced. When we started looking at that, we thought, well, they’re moved into this old farmhouse, and they remodeled, so it’s got some upgrades. Hopefully, there are some things you recognize in there that tell a little bit of a backstory. We tried to do research and get help on supporting that. That was really fun, and she’s just a kick.”
“It’s always a challenge to come up with new characters that resonate with everybody,” Pauley added. “But we also want to look wide and make sure we represent. So I think, hopefully, we’re doing it on this.”
The addition of Blaze is especially timely because her love of horses and ranch life arrives at a moment when audiences are increasingly rediscovering the history of Black cowboys, whose contributions to the American West were often overlooked for generations.
Whether intentional or not, Blaze expands a world that has long been associated with cowboys and frontier mythology, creating space for more children to see themselves reflected in it.
In a franchise built on the idea that every toy deserves to matter, that evolution feels fitting.
“Toy Story 5” arrives in theaters June 19.
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Putin to Address Nuclear Deal, Armenia’s EU Bid in Kazakhstan Trip
The Kremlin leader is set to visit the Central Asian nation for the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit on Wednesday to sign deals with Astana and address Yerevan’s EU aspirations – hinting at more pressure on its former ally in the Caucasian region ahead of the country’s June 7 elections.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is set to visit Kazakhstan on Wednesday for the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit.
During the three-day trip, Putin is expected to sign deals with Kazakhstan to construct a new nuclear plant and address Armenia’s EU aspirations, according to the Kremlin.
The EAEU is a Russia-led economic bloc comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
Ousting Armenia?
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov suggested that Putin would discuss Armenia’s membership in the bloc during the summit.
“Putin has repeatedly stressed that it is impossible to belong to two associations simultaneously. It simply will not work,” Ushakov said at a press briefing, according to AFP.
Ushakov’s comments echoed Putin’s earlier remarks, in which he said Yerevan must choose between Moscow-led economic structures and the EU, invoking a “Ukrainian scenario” when commenting on Armenia’s EU bid.
Ushakov said while it is “impossible” to expel a member state from the bloc, a country could declare it was ending its “cooperation.”
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously said he would skip the summit, sending Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan instead in his place.
Russia’s remarks came ahead of Yerevan’s June 7 elections, as Pashinyan is set to face off against the pro-Russian opposition amid Yerevan’s push for closer Western integration.
Yerevan’s break from Moscow stems from Russian peacekeepers’ failure to stop Baku from retaking the Karabakh enclave in 2023
On May 7, Pashinyan explicitly stated that Armenia is “not an ally of Russia on the issue of Ukraine” and has continued to send humanitarian aid to Kyiv.
On Tuesday, Yerevan also signed minerals and cooperation agreements with Washington during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the country.
Regarding Yerevan’s place in EAEU, Pashinyan said the country remains “a full-fledged member of the EAEU” in response to Putin’s earlier threats.
“And as long as we are members of the EAEU, we fully participate in all decision-making,” he said.
Nuclear deals with Kazakhstan
Putin is also set to sign deals to construct a nuclear plant with the host country during the trip, according to Ushakov.
“Key agreements will be signed during [Putin’s] visit on the main parameters for building a nuclear power plant and on financing the project through a Russian state export loan,” he said, according to Reuters.
Moscow is expected to finance 85% of the plant, which is expected to be commissioned between 2035-36, Reuters said.
Kazakhstan has served as a major sanctions-evasion hub for Moscow. Despite reports in recent months of Kazakhstan’s new export controls amid fears of secondary sanctions, there are few signs of Astana distancing itself from Moscow.
In late April, Russia said it would stop transporting Kazakh oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline starting May 1, citing “technical capabilities.” Russia also maintains access to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan under a long lease, and recently conducted the first test launch of its new Soyuz‑5 rocket at the site.
On Monday, Kazakhstan also said it would not enforce a court ruling allowing Ukraine’s state energy company Naftogaz to recover $1.4 billion from Russia’s Gazprom, saying the country would not act as “a transit platform” for enforcing rulings with no legal connection to the country.
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Rubio concludes one-hour visit to Armenia after signing Trump Route framework
US State Secretary Marco Rubio has made a brief visit to Armenia, signing a framework agreement on the planned Trump Route (TRIPP) through the country’s south with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
In a press briefing after the signing, Rubio described the document as the ‘biggest step to date on making this historic route a reality’.
The Trump Route would connect Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakchivan through Armenian territory. Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to the establishment of the route under the mediation of US President Donald Trump in August 2025 in Washington, alongside initialing their peace agreement.
‘The president takes tremendous pride not simply in TRIPP […] but in all of the other things we continue to build on’, Rubio said, adding that they were ‘laying ground for economic engagement to allow Armenians to make money and find prosperity and Americans do the same’.
‘Both yourself and the prime minister and your entire team here in Armenia are blazing the trail towards a brighter and more independent future for Armenia’, Rubio continued.
Rubio and Mirzoyan also signed a strategic partnership charter, with the Armenian minister saying that Armenia–US relations ‘are stronger today than ever’.
‘It would not be an exaggeration to say that we have entered a historically unprecedented phase, given the frequent developments on our bilateral agenda’, Armenpress quoted him as saying.
The two also signed a memorandum on the extraction of critical minerals, which Rubio said were ‘essential to all of these technologies and innovations’.
‘Countries that are able to do that are gonna be able to find economic independence and find themselves at the centre of innovation in the 21st century’, he said.
Rubio departed from Armenia shortly after, concluding a visit that barely lasted an hour.
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