How Bald Eagles, Black Swans are Analogous to U.S. Foreign Policy

Emil Lazarian
Newsmax
May 18 2026
By Robert Zapesochny

As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, it is worth remembering the American bald eagle.

Chosen in 1782 for the Great Seal of the United States, the eagle is native to North America, a symbol of a people who sought independence from Britain.

The eagle holds an olive branch in one talon and arrows in the other, reflecting the Founders’ understanding that a free nation must seek peace, but remain ready to defend itself.

That balance, peace through strength, has been central to the successful American foreign policy from Presidents Truman to Reagan.

American national security debates are often framed as a competition between hawks and doves.

However, the real divide is between pragmatic hawks and doves and the ideological ones.

Under this formulation, there are four camps: pragmatic hawks, pragmatic doves, ideological hawks, and ideological doves.

The first two, pragmatic hawks and pragmatic doves, are the informal “Eagle coalition.”

Eagles may disagree sharply, but they share a common premise: policy must be flexible, nonideological, and serve the U.S. by pursuing goals that are necessary and workable.

Pragmatic hawks believe Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances, and that if and when the regime cannot be reliably deterred, the U.S. needs to use force.

Pragmatic doves oppose war with Iran because they do not believe it serves our national interests.

These are healthy disagreements because both sides are arguing within the same framework. Eagles are opposed by an informal “Swan coalition.” Swans are motivated by abstract ideas, from isolationism to Wilsonian internationalism, and, in some cases, sympathy for some version of socialism and communism.

Some ideological hawks might support intervention to promote democratization. The ideological doves among the swans oppose American action regardless of context.

In our modern age, defined by a deluge of misinformation and global connectivity, swans are increasingly prevalent.

At best, swans are uncompromising, inspirational advocates for freedom. At worst, they can become detached from America’s national interests.

In Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” ballet, the white swan represents purity.

The black swan represents deception. Today’s swans are increasingly gray.

Some who ostensibly advocate for “peace” echo narratives that can align with the interests of Tehran, Moscow, or Beijing.

Dovish swans often approach foreign policy in an absolutist fashion, narrowly focused on the perceived justice of their cause to the exclusion of all else.

This tendency is sometimes evident among émigré groups in the U.S. For example, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and the Armenian Assembly of America have played an important role in securing recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

That legacy deserves respect. However, ANCA’s roots in the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (the Dashnaks) — a movement with a complex ideological history that has included decades of violence and socialist leanings — do not always align with America’s national interests.

Outmatched in financial resources and population, Armenia has relied on America’s adversaries, Russia and Iran, to counterbalance Turkey and Azerbaijan.

That approach has largely failed.

After winning the first Nagorno-Karabakh war (1988–1994) but losing the conflicts in 2020 and 2023, Armenia’s leader, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, appears to recognize that the current peace deal with Azerbaijan cannot be improved upon.

In contrast, ANCA opposes the 2025 peace agreement in part because it supports a “safe, secure and dignified return of forcibly displaced Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh.”

This maximalist demand is politically unrealistic. Prime Minister Pashinyan is taking a pragmatic approach by seeking stronger ties with the United States.

The Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) corridor will connect Azerbaijan and Armenia with Europe.

The project will strengthen Armenia and contribute to regional peace by combining infrastructure investment with economic integration.

For Armenia, improved transport corridors — roads, rail links, and border logistics — could reduce isolation, lower trade costs, and diversify export routes beyond traditional dependencies.

ANCA and other émigré groups aren’t the only ideological swans.

After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the ANSWER Coalition was formed to oppose the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan.

Code Pink was founded in 2002 to oppose the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Today, Code Pink is part of an activist network tied to Neville Roy Singham, an American-born businessman based in Shanghai.

Singham is married to Jodie Evans, a co-founder of Code Pink.

The New York Times has described a network of organizations Singham funds as promoting messaging aligned with Chinese government narratives.

In the same article, it was reported that Singham has expressed admiration for Maoist ideas and that Code Pink has taken positions defending or soft-pedaling Beijing’s policies, including toward the Uyghurs. According to the House Oversight Committee, Singham’s network includes The People’s Forum, ANSWER Coalition, the International People’s Assembly, and several groups active under the Shut It Down for Palestine umbrella.

Beyond groups funded directly by Singham’s network, the Anti-Defamation League has identified a wider ecosystem of progressive donors and organizations that, at times, overlap with or support some of the same groups.

Well-intentioned and ill-intentioned activists alike risk leading America toward its swan song. The Eagle coalition must win the public debate on foreign policy.

Robert Zapesochny is a researcher and writer. His work focuses on foreign affairs, national security, and presidential history. He’s been published in numerous outlets. Read more Robert Zapesochny Insider articles — Click Here Now.


https://www.newsmax.com/robertzapesochny/armenia-reagan-truman/2026/05/18/id/1256641/

—

ANCA Mobilizes South Texas Faith Community against Cuellar

Eduard Nalbandian
Armenian National Committee of America – ANCA
May 18 2026

Mailings to Christian Clergy Document Cuellar’s Criminal Indictment, Highlight his Complicity in Anti-Christian Persecution

May 18, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) – Texas joined with the ANCA national office in launching a campaign to educate faith leaders across South Texas about local Congressman Henry Cuellar’s criminal corruption and direct complicity in anti-Christian persecution.

ANCA and ANCA Texas are bringing the case against Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus Co-Chair Henry Cuellar directly to the pews of his own district, mailing comprehensive information packets this week, in English and Spanish, to Christian parishes, faith-based institutions, clerical and lay leaders, and religious influencers across Texas’s 28th Congressional District and the broader South Texas region.

The ANCA packets – featuring correspondence in both English and Spanish – document the Federal indictment of Rep. Cuellar and his wife for accepting $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijani government-controlled entities. A copy of the full 54-page indictment was included in each packet. Also included were materials about Azerbaijan’s genocide of more than 120,000 Christian Armenians from Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), and Baku’s continuing demolition of Armenian churches, monasteries, cross-stones, and sacred sites across the ethnically cleansed lands it now occupies.

“South Texas pastors, priests, and parishioners deserve to know the sins of their Congressman against at-risk Christians, who paid him for this betrayal, and exactly how much he got paid – the modern-day equivalent of his thirty pieces of silver,” said Aram Hamparian, ANCA Executive Director. “Henry Cuellar took hundreds of thousands of dollars from a regime that bulldozes cathedrals, desecrates cemeteries, and drove an entire Christian civilization from its three-thousand-year-old homeland. He took that money, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, to block U.S. support for Armenia, to insert pro-Azerbaijan language into our laws, to deliver speeches written by Baku’s allies on the floor of the House of Representatives. Every Christian leader in his district needs to know these facts – and the right to share them with the faithful in their ministries.”

A Letter to South Texas’s Christian Leaders

The packets, co-signed by Hamparian and ANCA Texas Co-Chair Philip Kanayan, open with a letter written in a spirit of Christian solidarity, framing Cuellar’s bribery not as a distant Washington scandal but as a betrayal of the Body of Christ:

“Truly, Congressman Cuellar’s betrayal strikes at the very heart of the Body of Christ. He was charged with pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars, not thirty pieces of silver, but the sins are the same — treachery and greed. The setting: the U.S. Congress, not the Garden of Gethsemane.”

The letter calls on recipients to “review the enclosed indictment and prayerfully consider what steps you and your congregation might take to ensure that your parishioners and your neighbors fully understand the depth and significance of this betrayal.”

Alongside the letter, recipients receive the full 54-page federal indictment of Henry and Imelda Cuellar, detailing how Azerbaijani diplomats referred to the Congressman as “el Jefe,” tracked his legislative work on Baku’s behalf, and funneled payments through sham consulting contracts and shell companies. Federal prosecutors documented Cuellar’s promises to influence U.S. foreign policy, deliver pro-Azerbaijan floor speeches, insert favorable legislative language, and arrange meetings with U.S. defense officials in exchange for the payments.

The packets pair the indictment with a Christian Post op-ed by communications strategist Stephan Pechdimaldji characterizing Azerbaijan’s demolition of the Stepanakert Cathedral as cultural genocide and a direct violation of the International Court of Justice’s December 2021 provisional measures, a National Catholic Register article documenting the demolition of the Armenian Mother Cathedral in occupied Artsakh, and a May 2024 brief from International Christian Concern documenting Azerbaijan’s siege and ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Christian population, the destruction of 89 Armenian churches in Nakhichevan between 1997 and 2006, and the broader pattern of forced displacement of indigenous Christian communities.

Ground Zero for Foreign Interference

“South Texas is ground zero in the fight to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its foreign interference in American democracy, and our Christian community has a particular stake in this fight,” said ANCA Texas Co-Chair Philip Kanayan. “The Azerbaijani regime that bought Henry Cuellar is the same regime bulldozing churches and cathedrals built by Christians a thousand years before Texas was Texas. Pastors, priests, deacons, and lay leaders across this district are going to receive the documentation, read it for themselves, and reach their own conclusions about the man who has represented them in Congress.”

In December 2025, President Trump pardoned Cuellar — a decision the ANCA condemned as a free pass for foreign bribery. Days later, after Cuellar announced he would continue running as a Democrat, Trump publicly rebuked him for “a lack of LOYALTY” — making clear that even the president who pardoned him had concluded Cuellar’s word could not be trusted.

The ANCA has actively targeted Cuellar through its #ExpelCuellar campaign, calling on the House to vote for his expulsion and on voters to reject him at the ballot box. The faith-community outreach announced today represents the next phase of that work, bringing the documentary record of Cuellar’s conduct, and Azerbaijan’s, directly to the religious leaders and institutions that shape civic life across South Texas.

In April, the ANCA endorsed Webb County Judge Tano E. Tijerina in his Republican bid to represent Texas’s 28th Congressional District. Following outreach by the ANCA Texas team, Judge Tijerina, his wife Kimberly, and his campaign team visited ANCA’s national headquarters in the Nation’s Capital on April 22nd, sitting down with the ANCA’s DC staff for a substantive discussion of the full range of priorities advocated by ANCA Texas and Armenian Americans across the Lone Star State, including Azerbaijan’s genocidal ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Christian Armenians, the ongoing illegal detention of Armenian hostages in Baku, Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction of Armenian Christian churches, cemeteries, and sacred sites, the right of return for displaced Artsakh Armenians, and justice for the Armenian Genocide.

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Email / Tel: (202) 775-1918
Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW Washington, DC 20036
[email protected] | anca.org/facebook | @anca_dc

—

Armenia wants to localize production of Indian munitions

Chakrian Hovsep
eurasianet
May 18 2026

Yerevan looking to secure supply chain.

May 18, 2026

As it seeks to secure lasting peace with Azerbaijan, Armenia is concurrently striving to strengthen a defense partnership with India.

Armenia is intent on establishing its own domestic production lines to manufacture under license Indian munitions, including 155mm artillery shells and Pinaka rocket launcher systems, according to a report distributed by India Defense Resource Wing (IDRW), an India-based information portal. The report did not mention how advanced bilateral discussions on the matter were, or a potential cost range of any deal.

In 2022, Armenia procured Pinaka systems from India in a deal worth $265 million. The rocket launchers are an Indian version of the US-made HIMARS systems, which have high mobility and long-range strike capability. HIMARS systems initially proved highly effective when used by Ukrainian forces against Russian invaders. But Russia has developed electronic warfare techniques that have hindered HIMARS of late. Pinaka-fired rockets have a significantly shorter range than HIMARS systems.

Armenia is reportedly seeking to localize weapons production instead of simply procuring arms from the source country to guard against supply-chain procurement problems in the event of a future conflict, according to IDRW analysts.

In recent years, the South Caucasus has effectively become an extension of the bitter South Asian rivalry between India and Pakistan. While Armenia has forged defense ties with India, Azerbaijan and Pakistan, along with Turkey, have forged an a security partnership.

For Armenia, growing strategic ties with India reflect Yerevan’s currently strained relationship with Russia, the country’s historical ally. “This partnership not only enhances Armenia’s defense capabilities but also allows India to expand its influence in the South Caucasus, where it faces opposition from Turkish and Pakistani alliances that support Azerbaijan,” according to an analysis published in 2025 by the Atlantic Council.


—

As long as the situation around Iran remains suspended, but not resolved, internationally

Emil Lazarian

May 17, 2026

The cessation of the month-long war against Iran in the Middle East did not mark the end of the crisis, but its transition to a qualitatively new phase of diplomatic confrontation.

Despite the powerful military arsenal used by Washington and Tel Aviv and the extremely difficult situation created for Tehran, according to experts, the Islamic Republic showed higher resistance than expected. Iran’s containment mechanisms allowed to avoid undermining the foundations of statehood, which ultimately forced the opponents to stop and cease fire. However, the end of the active phase of the war does not mean peace. the lack of a stable agreement leaves the region in the realm of “neither war nor peace” where the next steps are determined by the agreements of the global centers.

In this context, the discussion of the ongoing processes around Iran has moved to the global platform, where the negotiations between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping define the new global conjuncture. Negotiations with Putin are also expected. An in-depth analysis of the negotiations shows that we are dealing with the manifestation of a new type of multipolar world order, where the superpowers limit the independence of regional players. The dynamics of global developments, according to leading analysts, will henceforth proceed in the realm of a tough US-China balance, where regional conflicts are not resolved, but “managed” based on the global interests of the superpowers. According to estimates, Iran preserved its sovereignty, but found itself between Washington’s sanctions and Beijing’s political patronage.

168.amIn a conversation with , Iranian analyst Khayal Muazzin said that despite the difficulties, Iran continues to maintain its position on the “stage” of global politics, and for Armenia, in his opinion, the fact of resisting Iran’s strikes and maintaining the balance of power is of fundamental importance.

Read also

  • Zangezur Corridor, Middle Corridor… Turkish heads of state turn their alliance into an “influential geopolitical power center”
  • IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF NICOLE, GO TO THE ELECTION. THEY ARE STATE TRAITORS… THEY LEAD ARMENIA THROUGH UKRAINE. VARDAN POGHOSIAN
  • THEY ARE NOT PEACE, THEY SAY “REST IN PEACE”. Anoush Sedrakyan

According to him, the stability of Tehran allowed to prevent the complete collapse of the regional system, which would immediately affect the situation in Armenia.

According to his assessment, the fact that Iran did not lose is a deterrent factor for many players who could take advantage of Tehran’s weakening and were waiting for that milestone.

“In this sense, Iran’s strategic confrontation gives Armenia an opportunity to strengthen its own positions. However, as long as the situation around Iran remains suspended, but not resolved, large international logistics projects, in my opinion, will operate in a limited mode, because usually logistics works well in good relations.

Yerevan deepens cooperation with the West, which is not welcomed by Russia and Iran, but at the same time, Yerevan, as well as many other players, cannot ignore the contours of the US-China major agreements, which affect the regions, the global economy and other vital issues,” said Khayal Muazin.

—

8 years of deception and the decline of Armenia’s economy

Mary Lazarian

May 17, 2026

8 years ago, deceiving the people, the young revolutionaries led by Nikol Pashinyan came to power, promising to implement an economic and technological revolution in Armenia, promising to ensure a large flow of investments, establish a fair competitive environment and social justice.

At that time, public expectations were very high, they hoped that the political change would turn into an economic and social breakthrough. However, after 8 years, we have the fact that in the life of the people, apart from the losses, not a single breakthrough happened.

Instead, a breakthrough took place in the life of CP members. People who did not have money for a TV and a vacuum cleaner are now buying or building apartments and houses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The lives of these people have changed at a revolutionary pace, and most of the citizens have continued to barely make ends meet. It is not surprising that the level of poverty in Armenia continues to be so high even after years.

Read also

  • IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF NICOLE, GO TO THE ELECTION. THEY ARE STATE TRAITORS… THEY LEAD ARMENIA THROUGH UKRAINE. VARDAN POGHOSIAN
  • Having a leader like Pashinyan does not suit us. I am not influenced by any geopolitical center. Arman Tatoyan
  • The joy of the pensioners was short-lived. They give with one hand and take with the other

If we remove the changes in the calculation methodology, which, as is known, are often made for what or for whom, poverty in Armenia has almost remained at the level it was years ago. And it is not known what they did with the billions of dollars that they put on the necks of the state and the people through debts.

Not only the promised social, but also the “technological revolution” remained at the level of political speech. It is regularly remembered that the industry should go through a phase of technological re-equipment, increase in productivity, and agriculture should become efficient and modern. However, these changes were not registered at the systemic level in the real economy.

There are no technological developments in industry as well as in agriculture. Almost half of the arable land of agricultural significance remains uncultivated even today. The result would be that agriculture would not grow for years.

Production volumes of many agricultural products have been reduced in recent years, leading to an increase in their prices in consumer markets. During this period, some agricultural products managed to double, even triple in price. But the peasant almost did not benefit from it, because on the one hand, the production was reduced, on the other hand, the price of the product rose sharply.

Instead of revolutionary developments, during this period the structure of the economy not only did not become better, more efficient, but also moved from production branches to non-production branches. The trade and services sector has significantly increased its weight, while the real economy, industry and agriculture, has declined relatively.

This is a worrying and dangerous trend for the economy, because trade only redistributes the value already created, rather than creating new values. When economic growth is based on consumption and imports, it becomes vulnerable to external shocks and does not ensure long-term sustainable development.

Even in the years when high economic growth was recorded in Armenia, its structure did not ensure qualitative progress.

Growth in recent years has been heavily dependent on services and external financial inflows, while the industrial and agricultural base has not strengthened. The economy has not become more resilient and has not received the structure that could ensure long-term development. Diversification of exports has remained at the level of empty talk, and the dependence on imports has increased.

Instead of an economic revolution, only debts have increased at revolutionary rates. At one time, the authorities were criticized for taking debts, they promised to reduce the debt burden, but in 8 years they have more than doubled the state debt. Debt has become one of the main instruments of economic policy, which has created long-term risks, limiting the fiscal flexibility of the budget and increasing dependence on external financing. It is a well-known fact that when economic growth is fueled by debt rather than productivity growth, that growth cannot be sustainable and long-term.

They claimed that after the political change, investments will “pour into Armenia”. However, investment flows remained volatile and often depended on one-off transactions.

Recently, the Minister of Economy made a note about investments, trying to create the impression that investments are already flooding Armenia. However, he “accidentally” did not mention how many investments there were in the real economy. He “forgot” to say that during the whole of last year, net flows of foreign investments made in the real economy amounted to only 34 billion drams, and direct investments – 93 billion drams. If we convert it into foreign currency, it will be 89 million dollars in one case, and 244 million dollars in the other case.

These are small amounts for the real economy. That is why the real economy in Armenia is in such a poor state. Although what should be expected in a country where the government is ready to enter the pocket of business at an opportune moment?

Protection of property rights is key for any investor. And when the government starts to get involved as a co-owner in private business, or situations arise where property is redistributed for political purposes, it is the biggest threat for the investor. And in this case, no change in the law on investments, which the authorities are making now, can restore the confidence of investors.

Investors’ trust should be considered at the time when the government directly entered the pocket of the business, adapting the laws to itself, retaliating against the owner for political purposes, taking away the business belonging to him.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN




—

Having a leader like Pashinyan does not suit us. any geopolitics on me?

Maral Takmazian

May 17, 2026

“Pressing” in the program  Arman Tatoyan, Prime Minister candidate of the “Unity Wings” party referred to Nikol Pashinyan’s ideology of rejecting the Artsakh movement.

«Is the person who calls out the number of 5,000 war victims a liar, or the person who belittles the victims of two wars, disrespects the sacrifices of all families, the blood that was shed, our martyrs? It does not suit us to have such a head of a country. People should know by name: who are the victims, who are those who gave their lives for this country, who did not think about their lives, but gave their young lives to the Motherland. They don’t publish the names of our victims, instead they tell us to compile the lists of Genocide victims, which is one of the most important Turkish theses to reject the Genocide.Arman Tatoyan said.

He also reminded that he was a defender of Mardev’s human rights during the KP and saw a lot.

“They told me: don’t go to the border areas, don’t make unfavorable statements for us, so that the people don’t think that we are a weak government. What is important to me is the interest of my country, do I really care if you will keep your position or not? That’s why they took the cars from the MIP structure,” said the former MIP.

Read also

  • Zangezur Corridor, Middle Corridor… Turkish heads of state turn their alliance into an “influential geopolitical power center”
  • IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF NICOLE, GO TO THE ELECTION. THEY ARE STATE TRAITORS… THEY LEAD ARMENIA THROUGH UKRAINE. VARDAN POGHOSIAN
  • 8 years of deception and the decline of Armenia’s economy

Referring to the Yerevan Summit of the European Political Community, the Prime Minister candidate of the Wings of Unity Party noted՝ Nikol Pashinyan made the summit of the European Political Community part of his campaign. If there is a national government, there should be a different content for that summit.

“Azerbaijan’s candidate in the Armenian elections is Nikol Pashinyan. We need to have a consensus here. He is nobody’s man. there is a person whose candidate is Nikol Pashinyan. It is Azerbaijan.

I am not dependent on any geopolitical center and I do not represent anyone’s interest. I have always promoted and will promote exclusively the interests of Armenia,” he said.

Details in the video.




—

168: If you want to get rid of Nikol, go to the polls. State Traitors Are… Q

Khoyetsian Rose

May 17, 2026

“Lessons” program the guest constitutionalist, political scientist, international scientist Vardan Poghosyan.

The main theses of the interview are below.

  • Ilham Aliyev could not achieve success if he did not have a good basic education. Aliyev was no less educated than his father, he knew history very well. He was my seminarian during my studies in Moscow. During the exam, he asked different questions, which showed that a person knows good history. When a person with a high intellectual level has as an interlocutor someone who does not know history, is not normally trained, it is natural that he has an advantage over him. And it is clear that there would be a big contrast between him and Nikol Pashinyan. With Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, Ilham Aliyev could not be so insolent, but when the other party was away from politics and he doesn’t understand anything about foreign policy in particular, you deal with him as you can:
  • When in 2018 Nikol had started his movement, during a discussion, if you saw the EU ambassador at that time Piotr Svitalski, putting aside the diplomatic etiquette, how he spoke, you would think that the speaker was an opposition figure… You had to see what accusations he presented to the former government. Svitalsky openly defended Pashinyan and was openly guided by anti-Armenian interests.
  • The nail of Pashinyan’s pre-election campaign is the so-called peace, which he allegedly established in Armenia, and secondly, the false thesis arising from it that if I am not there, there will be a war. If there is peace, why should a war start if one prime minister is replaced by another, if no one of the 19 political forces is now saying, as soon as I was elected, to bring back Artsakh or de-occupy the territories of Armenia through war, military means? It is obvious, isn’t it, that this “peace” is only between Aliyev and Pashinyan. Therefore, there is no Pashinyan, so there will be a war:

Read also

  • Zangezur Corridor, Middle Corridor… Turkish heads of state turn their alliance into an “influential geopolitical power center”
  • Having a leader like Pashinyan does not suit us. I am not influenced by any geopolitical center. Arman Tatoyan
  • 8 years of deception and the decline of Armenia’s economy
  • Peace in the sense of international law has not been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan. That document, which contains many dangerous points for us, is not yet a signed contract. Therefore, the thesis that peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a lie. There is an initialed document, for signing, Azerbaijan demanded to change our Constitution, to remove the Declaration of Independence from the preamble of the Constitution.
  • With the example of Tavush, we saw what Pashinyan’s imagined demarcation was, when the territories of Armenia were unilaterally ceded. Now, if the enclaves are surrendered as well, which Aliyev demands, we find ourselves in isolation. We will have to look for new ways of communication with Georgia and Iran if the enclaves of Tavush and Tigranashen are surrendered.
  • The only war-making party in Armenia is Nikol Pashinyan, because if he handed over territories again, the Armenian people will not come to terms with the consequences.
  • Iran has now become a world power, and Iran will not allow western presence in this region. And in this case, it is obvious that if Pashinyan is re-elected, the danger of war will increase more than if the opposition forces come to power, whose pre-election programs envisage a very balanced foreign policy. Pashinyan is simply blackmailing his own people. The goal is to garner votes in his favor. And there is no national and state interest for Nikol Pashinyan. We are dealing with a pathological, chronic liar:
  • Why should we believe that everything that Pashinyan promises now will come true, if starting from 2018 he only tells lies and causes problems? What he has done is historically unprecedented. Artsakh was a unique territory that was relatively little attacked by foreign forces and the overwhelming majority of the population has always been Armenian. Today, they say that Artsakh is not Armenian and force us to come to terms with that situation.

  • We will pay for European smiles with our independence. What Pashinyan promised to the collective West, he will do if it was repeated. And in that case, we will no longer have subjectivity, we will not have a national state that will be able to protect our interests. And what he promised is obvious. After the Russian-Ukrainian war, the West has thrown away its mask and clearly says that its goal is to bring Russia to a strategic defeat. And for this they should act through the states allied to Russia. Zelensky is now in a very difficult situation, but Europe is trying to weaken it by using Ukraine to the end Russia. Moldova is theirs, now they are doing everything for Pashinyan to follow the path of the Ukrainians, to remove Russia from our region. But geography cannot be changed:
  • Iran has changed now. There will be no status quo in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran will control both the strait and the entire region, which means that Iran will not allow Pashinyan to realize his intentions. If we bring the Americans here, we must keep in mind that we are bringing a state that is an enemy to Iran, which has always been friendly to us.
  • Russia, unlike in 2021 during the elections, when he supported Pashinyan, now he is sending very clear diplomatic messages about what will happen to Armenia if Pashinyan is re-elected, at least a cold war with Russia, with economic and political consequences arising from it. Pashinyan’s policy is leading Armenia to a dead end, maybe even a hot war:
  • The European Union has a European Parliament. The EC condemns Azerbaijan, its actions inside and outside the country, but where did Kaya Kalas run from Yerevan, where did Ursula von der Leyen run? They need gas, oil, energy. They will continue their pro-Azerbaijani policy because that is their interest.
  • The opposition is doing very right when it raises the question of bringing 300,000 Azerbaijanis to Armenia, which has been voiced by Aliyev for a long time. If there is no such thing, why doesn’t Pashinyan objectively deny that information? Why doesn’t he deny it, answering Aliyev himself? If you are against it, you should say so directly that it will never happen. Pashinyan never says that Artsakh Armenians have the right to return to their homeland. Instead, Aliyev and his propaganda keep talking about Azerbaijanis coming to Armenia. It has never happened before that 300,000 Azerbaijanis lived in the territory of Soviet Armenia. Instead, 450,000 Armenians lived in Azerbaijan. Where? are they Do you demand it? He will not demand, because for him his only sanctity is his seat:

  • The fate of Armenia will be decided in the June 7 elections. I want to emphasize very clearly that if we are going to have a Republic of Armenia, we can have the honor of bearing that name when we decide our own destiny. Today our fate is decided by a person who has nothing to do with Armenianness. Maybe he didn’t have it in 2018, but few people saw it. 

There are very simple formulas for June 7. the first is that you should go to the elections, because if you don’t go, you give an artificial advantage to Nikol Pashinyan, who possesses enormous resources, including administrative ones. If you don’t go, you’re contributing to her reproduction. It wouldn’t be elected in 2021 either, if people went to the polls. Going to the polls is necessary. If you want to get rid of Nicole, go to the polls. If you go to the elections, you should choose such a force that has a real chance to enter the Parliament. If you don’t do it, you give Nikol Pashinyan another chance. This is the second step. There are 3-4 parties that have a real chance to enter the Parliament: the “Strong Armenia” bloc, the “Armenia” bloc, the “Prosperous Armenia” and the “Wings of Unity” parties. Only in the case of voting for any of these 4 forces will we have the opportunity to avoid polluting votes. 

  • 2021 if the voter thought to vote for Pashinyan, there will be no war, now he saw that after 2021 there were not only wars in the territory of Armenia, but also we lost Artsakh. Why should people now believe his promises of peace?

  • In our Criminal Code, in my opinion, the crime of treason is unfortunately not formulated correctly. From a constitutional and legal point of view, any action by which you, being an official, violate the interests of your state and go to the side of the enemy knowingly or carelessly and fulfill his wishes, is state treason. From this point of view, Nikol Pashinyan and many members of the CP are state traitors. In particular, in 2024 Pashinyan and some members of his government went to alienate Armenian territories, which is a criminal act.

Details in the video.




—

Verelq: “The important thing is not democracy, but the interests of the region.” the political scientist:

Antonian Lara
Photo: nv.am

The start of another parliamentary pre-election campaign was actually given in Armenia, which is taking place in the conditions of unprecedented and extremely difficult geopolitical realities for the country. Against the background of unquenchable disputes regarding foreign policy, painful regional transformations and the pressures exerted on traditional national structures, particularly the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian society must once again make a strategic choice.


However, are the political forces ready to offer the citizens a real alternative, and can we talk about a truly competitive struggle under the current conditions? Why did the pre-election campaigns of different camps paradoxically resemble each other, and what role do external actors play in shaping the future alignment of forces?


About the degradation of party institutions, the phenomenon of the “remote” election campaign of opposition leaders, the unique geopolitical paradoxes of supporting the current government, and ways to overcome the dangerous internal division in society. VERELQDoctor of Political Sciences, Head of the Chair of Applied Sociology of Yerevan State University tells Arthur Atanesyan։



Photo: Artur Atanesyan, source: Champord weekly


VERELQ. Mr. Atanesyan, how do you assess the start of the parliamentary election campaign in Armenia in the current reality? In your opinion, is it possible to talk about an equal and competitive electoral environment for the government and the opposition in Armenia?


Arthur Atanesyan. It seems to me that we can talk about it at this stage. Even if we look at street billboards, they provide a fairly uniform common information platform to all the major candidates who were willing to pay for their advertising campaign. Not everyone could afford such expenses, but visually, all the main subjects are presented quite equally, even with a color gamut.


Sometimes there is a feeling that they are representatives of one political force. we see RA Prime Minister one by one on rotating street posters Nikol Pashinyanas a candidate of the ruling party, then a major Armenian businessman, leader of the opposition “Strong Armenia” alliance Samvel Karapetyan, հետո՝ Arman Tatoyan (former RA Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman), who became an active social and political figure).


It gives the impression that the same color tones are used and the same public relations specialist works with them. To me it is strange and wrong from the point of view of effectiveness of propaganda. I would advise them not to do similar things, because in the public perception, the boundary line between the opposition and the government is erased.


However, the real political work carried out by the ruling and opposition forces is invisible, and it will not be uniform. The administrative resource in Armenia is traditionally used by the power that is trying to be re-elected, and I think it will be the same now.


VERELQ. In the context of equal political struggle, reports are regularly received about the use of administrative resources and mechanisms of law enforcement agencies by the authorities, and the authorities, in turn, accuse some opposition forces of buying votes. Do you notice this and does it create barriers to equal struggle?


Arthur Atanesyan. I find that the pre-election campaign in any state appears to be conducted in a similar way. the ruling elites can always find opportunities to put some pressure on the opposition.


But the opposition also has its own resource: “free hands”. He can afford more than the government in his rhetoric and actions. The opposition reflects only a part of society, while the ruling elite is obliged to be guided by the common interests of the country and is constrained by state frameworks. Therefore, I think that the Armenian opposition could have done much more in the pre-election campaign than it is doing now.


VERELQ. One of the representatives of the opposition, Samvel Karapetyan, who is considered the main rival of the government in these elections, is conducting the pre-election campaign, so to speak, in a semi-free state (he is under investigation and under house arrest). How does this factor affect the pre-election situation?


Arthur Atanesyan. I think that, of course, it is bad. But, on the other hand, he is not alone in his political power: he has a team. In addition, he regularly makes video messages and speeches in front of voters. Being confined in his own house allows him to go out into the information field. He carries out his communicative activity quite openly, and if the voter needs to hear him personally, then he has that opportunity.


VERELQ. Along with the development of the campaign, are there certain centers of gravity in the opposition camp that crystallize that political field, or does everything remain divided for now?


Arthur Atanesyan. Centers of gravity are related to their traditional effectiveness. in this sense, it is both Gagik Tsarukyan and Robert Kocharyan, and now Samvel Karapetyan himself, and, of course, Nikol Pashinyan himself.


(Gagik Tsarukyan is a big businessman and the leader of the “Prosperous Armenia” party. Robert Kocharyan is the second president of Armenia (1998-2008) and the leader of the “Armenia” opposition bloc – editor’s note).


These individuals ensure the political weight and authority of their forces. Unfortunately, nothing has changed for us in this regard. As before, the political party is associated exclusively with the personality of its leader, and the full institutionalization of the parties has not yet been achieved. Such is our political culture. All other small parties are also represented primarily by certain persons. Roughly speaking, there is a basic structure of the political field and there is a “bench” who sit and wait to be called up, just like in football.


VERELQ. What alternative political scenarios could have played out that we are not currently seeing? And what role might overt or covert support from the church have played? Relations between Nikol Pashinyan’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church continue to be extremely tense after the end of the 2020 war. Clergy has repeatedly harshly criticized the government and supported opposition movements against territorial concessions, while the authorities in response accuse the church of meddling in politics.


Arthur Atanesyan. I expected much greater unity from the opposition parties in defense of the church, but now I don’t notice it at all. At first, it seemed that many of them entered the active political field due to the precedent of strong pressure exerted on the church itself, acting as an opposition through its protection.


But when the pressure from the authorities decreased, the parties stopped actively interacting with each other. Their slogans aimed at the defense of the Armenian Church were correct and similar, but now that argument has weakened in their rhetoric, and no real consolidation has taken place.


VERELQ. How will the current political situation and the level of competition affect public confidence in the election results? How legitimate will they be in the eyes of the public?


Arthur Atanesyan. This time, I see direct support to the ruling party from European partners, which is expressed not only by the behavior of the leaders of the European Union countries, but also by state support through financing and joint programs personally built with the Prime Minister of Armenia.


(Armenia’s foreign policy course in recent years has been characterized by active rapprochement with the West (EU and USA) and attempts to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan and regulate relations with Turkey at the same time. The opposition considers this course destructive and accuses the government of handing over sovereignty — editor’s note).


Also, for the first time in our history, we are witnessing the mediated support of the ruling party by Turkey and Azerbaijan. nothing like this has ever happened. And who among the foreign forces is acting in favor of the opposition? No one. The ruling elite has an absolute international advantage. I am sure that the observers of the European Union will also speak in favor of the results of their elections. And if the results are not what they want, they may not recognize them.


The pre-election campaign is going on very non-objectively. If in the past we considered that democratic countries objectively evaluate the transparency of electoral processes, then the current purposeful support to the ruling power by the European Union seems undemocratic to me. It is not democracy that prevails, but the interests of certain regional forces, which are realized through the mechanisms of elections.


VERELQ. In other words, do you perceive the recent European Political Community and Armenia-EU European summits and announcements held in Yerevan as an advance support for the ruling party?


Arthur Atanesyan. Yes, of course. Those summits were used by the leaders of European countries to express support for a certain political force to the detriment of alternatives, rather than to support the Armenian people or the institution of democratic elections in general. In this sense, democracy in European countries is not the same in practice as it is declared in words.


In addition, a unique and complex geopolitical configuration has been created. Azerbaijan, Turkey and France, being in deep contradictions with each other, suddenly started supporting the same ruling party in Armenia. The opposition has no similar unique external support.


VERELQ. There is now a severe polarization of public sentiments in Armenia, reaching the point of open hostility between different camps. Will this polarization be softened by the election results, or will the problem of division remain?


Arthur Atanesyan. It seems to me that this polarization will simply move within the walls of the parliament and will continue even after the elections, between the ruling power and the new opposition parties. It will not decrease in the society itself.


I would very much like the community of political scientists, scientists, intellectuals and leading mass media to put a strict condition before all political forces without exception. “We will elect you only if you stop bringing conflict into our society and maintain the boundaries of basic decency in any discussion.”


Today’s opposition, unfortunately, is no better than the government in terms of dividing citizens into “blacks” and “whites”, owns and foreigners. The main message to all candidates should be: the pre-election campaign should in no case go beyond the scope of the joint issue of preserving Armenian statehood, instead of serving narrow party interests. I am sure that such a constructive message would be liked by the society and would be gratefully received by any section of it.

—

168: The joy of the pensioners was short-lived. They give with one hand, and with the other

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

May 17, 2026

By increasing the pensions 2 months before the elections, the authorities consider that they have done a great favor to the pensioners, and the pensioners should also be rewarded during the elections. Wherever Nikol Pashinyan goes, he gives the increase of pensions in the face of a pensioner. They talk about increasing pensions with such pride that it seems that the increase is not even 10,000 drams.

They always remind about the 10,000 dram pension increase, but they forget that in recent months the prices in Armenia have been increasing at such a speed that the pensioner has almost nothing left from this increase. The pensioner has to pay much more to buy the same product now than he paid a short time ago.

Since the beginning of the year, the rates of inflation in Armenia have accelerated sharply. Inflation has long exceeded the upper limit of the intended target, and the Central Bank does not like to take steps. Once again, they decided to leave the main interest rate unchanged, creating a favorable environment for further acceleration of inflation.

Already in April or the same month when pensions were raised, the 12-month inflation in Armenia reached 5.3 percent. This in itself is a serious signal of inflation, but that is not all. for a pensioner, not the average inflation, but the price of the goods he buys every day is more important.

Read also

  • IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF NICOLE, GO TO THE ELECTION. THEY ARE STATE TRAITORS… THEY LEAD ARMENIA THROUGH UKRAINE. VARDAN POGHOSIAN
  • Having a leader like Pashinyan does not suit us. I am not influenced by any geopolitical center. Arman Tatoyan
  • 8 years of deception and the decline of Armenia’s economy

Food is one of those products. And food prices in April, compared to the previous year, have already managed to increase by 9.5 percent.

In other words, almost two-digit inflation was registered in the case of products of primary importance for pensioners and other consumers in general.

Only in the last month, from March to April, food prices increased by another 2.8 percent.

Food prices have risen widely. Many primary products have risen in price very sharply. In April, compared to April last year, the prices of beef increased by 20.5 percent, lamb by 15 percent, and pork by 12.5 percent. The price of poultry has increased by almost 5 percent. Egg inflation exceeded 31 percent within 1 year. The price of vegetable oil increased by 11.6 percent, butter by 8.7 percent, cheese by 8.5 percent, sour cream by 9.3 percent, milk by 9 percent, and cottage cheese by 7.1 percent. Inflation of pasta reached 11 percent, cereal – 10.5 percent, buckwheat – 7.7 percent.

Two-digit inflation was registered in the case of fruits. This year, fruits are 10.3 percent more expensive than last year. The inflation of vegetables is no less high. In April, compared to the previous April, prices increased by 6.5 percent. The price of tomatoes has risen sharply. this year the price is more than 31 percent higher.

These are still only food price increases. Non-food products and services also became more expensive. Until recently, they were proud of the miracles performed by imported Azerbaijani gasoline, gasoline prices were higher this April than last year. In case of diesel, inflation is 7 percent. In the case of liquid gas, it is unnecessary to even talk about it, the price was 48.8 percent higher than last year.

Let’s assume that a pensioner does not use gasoline, gas or diesel, but he cannot avoid using food. The 9.5 percent food inflation is a serious blow to the pensioner’s pocket. It means that the increase of pensions is watered at the moment of the increase. On the surface, the pensioner receives more money, but at the same time pays more for bread, dairy products, oil, meat, fruit, vegetables and other primary products.

And it turns out that there is almost no real improvement in his life. If a person used to barely cover the monthly expenses, then in the conditions of today’s price increases, adding 10,000 drams does not solve a significant problem, at best, it slightly softens the blow that the pensioner suffers as a result of the impact of inflation.

Here is the main lie of raising pensions. They give with one hand and take with the other hand, through inflation.

The pensioner sees that there is a little more money in his wallet, but now he can buy less things in the store with that money.

What is the value of such a raise for a pensioner, which does not change anything in his life?

If the pension increase does not provide better living conditions for the pensioner, it does not have a social meaning, but becomes just a propaganda tool. What was hidden under this whole political show of raising pensions. When the government increases pensions before elections, but does not ensure that the increase is protected from inflation, it turns into pre-election bribery politically.

The government tells the pensioner: I have increased the pension. But the pension increase is important not in the amount, but in what the pensioner can buy with that money. Inflation rates have greatly accelerated in Armenia, and they nullify the increase in pensions.

The problem becomes deeper when we look at what CP promises in its pre-election program. Allegedly, they have already increased pensions so much that they no longer plan to increase them for the years 2026-2031. Instead of an increase, they are going to be satisfied only with the indexation of pensions. Moreover, they say that they will do it only from 2028.

In other words, if the CP is re-elected again, gets power, pensioners will have to wait another two years until their pensions are somehow linked to inflation. And until then, what should they do?

Until then, they should rely on the 10,000 drams, which have already managed to lose their value largely as a result of widespread price increases.

If this is the case today, it is not difficult to imagine what will be left of it in the next 2 years, until, in the case of reproduction, the CP will be pleased to index it.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN




—

If Nikol Pashinyan was re-elected, consider it a question related to the future of Armenia

Babken Chilingarian

May 17, 2026

Artak Zakaryan, a member of the Executive Body (GM) of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), former First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, writes on his Facebook page.“Briefly about how Aliyev and Pashinyan act.

Since 2018, after seizing power, Pashinyan, allegedly under the name of “restoring” sovereignty, gradually began to worsen relations with Russia. This was evident from the Artsakh issue, the negotiations conducted in the OSCE Minsk Group and the statements made. This was evident from official Yerevan’s positions on the CSTO issue, from the attitude towards General Yuri Khachaturov, it was evident from Russia’s attempts to build relations with the West at the expense of Russia, it was evident from the procedures for the reception of the President of the Russian Federation and other processes.

Meanwhile, Aliyev actively developed and warmed the ties between Baku and Moscow, further aggravating the relations between Yerevan and Moscow behind the scenes.

As a result, Aliyev got “carte blanche” by attacking and occupying a significant part of Artsakh with the “support” of Turkey, Pakistan, Ukraine, Israel and other countries.

The West could not or did not want to give us any support. And Moscow was just busy trying to stop the war (October 5, 9-10, 19, November 8).

The same game took place in 2022-23, when Yerevan tried to turn to the West without a solid foundation, in 2022. On October 6, in Prague, he renounced the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, renounced the OSCE Minsk Group, renounced Artsakh, renounced the Russian peacekeeping mission and gave Aliyev the right to act freely against Artsakh and Artsakh Armenians. Even Erdogan could not give such a “gift” to Aliyev.

Developing relations with Moscow again, taking advantage of the deteriorating Armenian-Russian relations, Aliyev first imposed a blockade, and then completely depopulated Artsakh through a new military aggression. The West again did not help Artsakh and Armenia. And the Russian peacemakers became the silent witnesses of the forced displacement of Artsakh Armenians.

After the occupation of Artsakh, Aliyev and Pashinyan moved on to the next party, Syunik (“Zangezuri Corridor”), and the idea of ​​TRIPP took them to Washington. At the same time, taking advantage of the deteriorating Armenian-Russian relations, with its anti-Russian agendas and energy interests, the EU is in a hurry to settle in the South Caucasus.

Do you think the Republic of Armenia will benefit from joining the EU? Of course not. Azerbaijan will win again. Against the background of deteriorating Armenian-Russian relations, Aliyev is re-establishing relations with Russia, hoping to take over the functions that Armenia still has in the EAEU and CSTO (including the West’s dabro). Aliyev also hopes to take root in Armenia under the name of border delimitation, to settle some mass of Azerbaijanis in Armenia, to completely undermine the security of Armenia in the name of peace, by weakening the economy, to give great momentum to emigration, to destroy the national parties, the national church and under various pretexts. national agendas (some of the uninformed will welcome it) and so on.

Ilham Aliyev needs Nikol Pashinyan’s government like air and water to play the last anti-Russian (pro-Turkish) game at the expense of Armenia’s interests. The West does not mind, because it does not care whether it will deal with Baku or Yerevan in the South Caucasus. What matters is their interests. They think the same way in Russia.

If on June 7, CP is defeated and there is a change of government in Armenia, then both Moscow, Washington, Beijing, and Brussels can no longer ignore Armenian interests, and will begin to take seriously the role of the Armenian people.

And if Nikol Pashinyan was re-elected, consider that issues related to the future of Armenia will be discussed and resolved in Baku or Ankara. The prerequisites for this were created by the government of KP during the previous years.”
—