Looking at global developments, today’s visit of Donald Trump to China is primarily expected to be an attempt to stabilize US-PRC relations, not a “great historical agreement”.

The main topics on the agenda are trade, technology and especially the United States, the situation around Taiwan, issues related to the Iran conflict, and the global economy and communications.

The most likely developments are:

Extension of the trade “ceasefire”. After mutual threats over tariffs and restrictions on rare metals, both sides are interested in reducing tensions, at least temporarily. This is exactly what the global markets expect.

Partial economic agreements. The US wants to:

• expand purchases of American goods by China,

• ensure stable supplies of rare metals,

• reduce pressure on American businesses.

China, for its part, is seeking to loosen US restrictions on the export of chips and high-tech products.

In general, breakthrough results should not be expected in reducing the risks of a trade war. However, the maintenance of “managed competition” between the world’s two largest economies should be considered a success.

No final decisions are expected regarding Taiwan. This is one of the most sensitive topics. Beijing will demand a reduction in American support for Taiwan, but Trump’s opportunities for real concessions are limited due to the position of the US Congress.

President Trump will try to get China involved in some way or at least come to an agreement in putting pressure on Iran. Washington is interested in Beijing helping to reduce risks around the Strait of Hormuz and exerting influence on Tehran. Whether or not China will accept this as a bargaining chip is hard to say. Most likely, it is related to the agreement to be reached regarding sanctions and technologies.

A possible discussion is also expected regarding Russia and Ukraine. Many experts believe that here the US is unlikely to achieve significant concessions from Beijing.

Politically, the visit is also important because it is Trump’s first full visit to China in many years. Both sides want to show that they can maintain a direct dialogue despite existing antagonisms and the existing regional conflict.

If we look more broadly, the main question for the world is whether the current US-China rivalry will turn into a long-term “cold economic conflict” or whether the parties will be able to keep it under control. This visit of Trump most likely refers to the second option.

Former RA Deputy Defense Minister Artak Zakaryan

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On May 11, around 11:00 p.m., an argument-fight took place between a group of people near the car wash near the Masis-Echmiadzin highway from Dashtavan village of Ararat marz, reports Shamshyan.com.

The dispute lasted for about 40 minutes, and during that time, no policeman of the Masisi department of the main community police department and no patroller of the Ararat Marz battalion of the RA MIA Police Patrol Service arrived at the scene.

In a conversation with the website, several citizens, who refused to speak on camera, said: “For 40-50 minutes, more than 15 people, mostly idiots, slaughtered each other, no matter how much they cursed. We don’t know who they were because it was dark. But for 50 minutes there will be a fight reminiscent of an action movie in that crowded place and neither the patrol nor the police will arrive?

According to the website, 24-year-old Vahagn H., a resident of Ararat region, 31-year-old Robert A., a resident of Yerevan, 22-year-old Hayk M., 31-year-old Manuk M., 36-year-old Gurgen K., 48-year-old Vahagn H. and about 10 other people participated in the argument.

2 “BMW”, “Mercedes”, “Honda”, “Opel” cars were found at the scene of the incident, with traces of blood on them.

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Trump released a map of Venezuela with the 51st state of the US written on it. He did it on his social media page. Trump said two days ago that he was considering such an option. The acting president of Venezuela stated that this is unacceptable.

Trump will probably run him out like Maduro.

If you are serious, at first glance, that topic that Trump brings up is quite epic, in fact immediately precedes his visit to China, where Trump is expected to have a very difficult conversation with Xi Jinping. The US president seems to be leaving for China already today.

What does Venezuela have to do with this? In recent years, China has strengthened its relationship with that country. China signed serious agreements and contracts in the field of energy, infrastructure, gave Venezuela billions of dollars in loans, invested in the oil industry.

Trump understands that abducting Maduro may have provided him with a supermacho image among his voters, but he did not resolve fundamental issues related to China’s presence in Venezuela, because Beijing is, to put it mildly, not the last entity in geopolitics, therefore it is not possible to simply “drive him away”.

At the same time, before his visit to China, Trump could not take a significant position towards Iran, but even got stuck in Hormuz. Trump’s situation inside the USA is also complicated. In fact, if his April visit had not been postponed, Trump might have tried to postpone the current visit to China, leaving it for a more favorable time or moment. But, delaying the visit for the second time could already be a serious blow to him.

According to that, before the visit to Beijing, Trump is trying to strengthen his position with statements, one of which was about making Venezuela a US state, and the other about the possibility of visiting Russia by the end of the year. To what extent those two statements of Trump will affect Xi Jinping, it will be clear perhaps as a result of the negotiation, where, of course, difficult issues are certainly not only for Trump.

Analyst Hakob Badalyan

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The foreign ministers of Iran and Azerbaijan held talks on regional events today.

As reported by “Tasnim” agency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Abbas Araghchi, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, discussed the latest developments related to diplomatic processes, the regional situation and bilateral relations during a telephone conversation held this afternoon.

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The Central Electoral Commission reiterates that administrative resources are the human, financial, and material resources possessed by public office holders and public service officials during elections, due to their control over personnel, finances, and allocations in the public sector.

“During the organization and implementation of the pre-election campaign, the use of administrative resources by those in public service, employees of healthcare or medical organizations, educational institutions, preschool educational institutions while exercising their powers or acting in their capacity is prohibited.

Once again, we call for the pre-election campaign to be carried out within the framework of the Electoral Code constitutional law,” said the statement released by the CEC.

It should be noted that today, on May 13, the teachers and students of schools in the settlements of the region were brought to the CP campaign in the Aragatsotn marz by buses, moreover, during class time. One of the teachers frankly told NEWS.am that for the sake of Nikol Pashinyan, the classes were shortened.

The Ministry of Education and Culture responded to this, stating that the Ministry will conduct an investigation into the registered cases of participation of schools in the campaign in Aragatsotn marz.

“One of the similar cases was registered today, May 13, in the city of Aparan. A number of teachers and students of educational institutions of Aragats and Kuchak villages participated in a political campaign during working hours. The Ministry will initiate a separate investigation to find out the details of the case and apply the consequences prescribed by law in cooperation with the relevant authorized body.

According to the appropriate procedure, the Ministry also sends all alarms to the law enforcement agencies in order to conduct an investigation”, – noted the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

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Days of Chinese culture will be held in Armenia in 2026. Artur Martirosyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia announced this at the opening of the Armenian stage of the “China Bridge” world competition.

According to him, holding the Days of Chinese Culture will be an important step in the development of humanitarian and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

After the declaration of Armenia’s independence, China became one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the country. Over the years, this cooperation has only strengthened, covering various areas of vital importance.

In August 2025, Armenia and China officially confirmed a strategic partnership aimed at deepening cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, infrastructure and culture.

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Relations between Armenia and Russia are experiencing perhaps the most complicated period in the entire post-Soviet history, gradually moving from a hidden freeze to a public clarification (dotting all the “i’s”). The resounding statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was made on May 9, 2026, became a catalyst for wide public and expert discussions.

Commenting on Yerevan’s desire to get closer to the West and the prospects of European integration, the Russian leader directly called on the Armenian authorities to orientate themselves on their geopolitical and economic vector. According to Putin, it would be logical to hold a referendum in the country to find out the opinion of the citizens of Armenia. do they want to join the European Union or stay within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)? The Russian President emphasized that Moscow does not intend to obstruct the Armenian people’s election. In the event that the public votes for the European path, Russia, according to him, will make appropriate decisions and will be ready to follow the path of “gentle, intelligent and mutually beneficial divorce”.

This rhetoric of “civilized divorce” is actually putting a cross on the perennial Armenian policy of balancing. Yerevan is openly asked a question. choose between two incompatible customs and economic blocs. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has already responded to this statement, rejecting the very term “divorce” and declaring that a referendum will be held only when its “objective necessity” arises.
However, the question remains open. Is Armenia practically ready for such a scenario? Will the country’s economy, which is deeply integrated into the Russian market and critically dependent on Russian energy sources, survive the severance of conventional ties? And how realistic are the hopes that Europe will be able to compensate for these huge losses?

In order to understand these complex issues, VERELQ magazine spoke with the famous Armenian economist Tatul Manaseryan. Below is the full version of this interview, organically supplemented with the necessary context, so that even a reader not delving into economic nuances can understand the essence of the tectonic shifts taking place.

VERELQ: As for the latest statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin… Let’s recall that he mentioned that Armenia should decide as soon as possible on its geopolitical vector: to stay in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU: an economic integration bloc under the auspices of the Russian Federation) or to leave it and take a course towards joining the European Union. Basically, Yerevan was offered a “civilized divorce” option, so to speak. What do you think such a harsh wording of the question indicates? And is Armenia and its economy ready for such a civilized severing of ties with Russia?

Tatul Manaseryan. First of all, we should probably approach this issue not only and not so much from the perspective of the interests of Armenia itself, but from the position of how the Russian Federation sees it.

It is necessary to understand the logic of the head of the Kremlin, because during large-scale military operations (he means the events taking place in Ukraine), when, unfortunately, the political palette does not consist of many colors, but becomes strictly black and white, the principle is clear: Russia’s enemies cannot be its friends. And, according to the head of the Russian Federation, the states that openly oppose Moscow cannot be close friends of Russia’s strategic partner, Armenia. The logic of the Russian demand is hidden in this. I think that Armenia needs a consequence for itself do, and the choice is unfortunately unavoidable.

If we remember the year 2017, then Armenia managed to successfully combine the two directions. we were in the EAEU, but at the same time we signed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the European Union. But then, of course, there was no war. Yes, there was tension, a tense geopolitical situation and complicated relations between Russia, the European Union and NATO. But now it is quite obvious that more than fifty countries are indirectly at war with Russia in one way or another.

And Moscow, according to Putin and other Russian leaders, does not welcome, so to speak, the two-faced steps and expressions of its allies. Unfortunately, Armenia faces a tough choice, and the traditional “complementary policy” (that is, trying to sit on two chairs and balance between the West and the Russian Federation) may no longer be appropriate here. Well, it cannot be said that this demand arose without reason. occasions in the face of unfriendly steps and statements that have recently taken place in Yerevan were sufficient.

And what economic damage will be done to Armenia in case of severing of ties? I think one could start with the energy security threat (since we are critically dependent on Russian gas and nuclear fuel supplies). Next comes food security. Will Armenia be able to provide itself with basic products at the expense of other sources outside the EAEU? This is a big question. Well, without strategic goals, without a clearly defined strategy of diplomacy, it is impossible to get along here, of course.

VERELQ: It is clear. Let’s dive into the economy. In your opinion, which sectors of the Armenian economy will suffer the most if Armenia is deprived of duty-free access to markets and leaves the EAEU?

Tatul Manaseryan. I already said that it is primarily the energy sector.
And the second is the food supply, in particular, grain and wheat. This is what we now import on preferential terms from Russia, and we have also recently imported from Kazakhstan. Let me remind you that Kazakhstan is also a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, and leaving the bloc will also complicate logistics with it.
The next sector is the banking sector and the financial system of Armenia as a whole. It is no secret to anyone that more than half of the financial capital in our banking system is capital of Russian origin. And I don’t think that under the current state of things, Armenia will be able to avoid serious financial threats and economic fluctuations in the event of a break in relations.

There are also a number of other important issues. It should not be forgotten that most of the Armenian migrant workers are in Russia. The social aspect of this phenomenon cannot be underestimated. the money and capitals that come from Russia in the form of private transfers (money transfers from relatives) literally keep thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of families in Armenia.
Other sectors will also be hit, such as construction, since we get most of our building materials from Russia anyway. Agriculture can be seriously affected, after all, Armenia sends more than 80% of its agricultural products to the Russian market (where there are no customs barriers). And it’s not just raw materials, it’s flowers and a variety of ready-to-eat foods with high added value. Meanwhile, Armenia currently exports mostly cheap raw materials and semi-finished products (such as copper ore) to the European Union. Well, to put it briefly, the picture is like this.

VERELQ: Perhaps the last question. Will the European Union somehow soften this economic blow for us or not? Or, taking into account that we only export raw materials there, it is unlikely to completely replace the Russian market with the European one?

Tatul Manaseryan. They will be able to soften the blow only with promises. You yourself understand that today Europe is not able to solve even its own problems related to the energy crisis and security that arose after giving up Russian energy carriers. And without ensured energy security, no sector of the economy can function smoothly.

VERELQ: OK, got it. In other words, the prospect that Armenian products will flow massively and be successfully sold on the European market is rather unrealistic?

Tatul Manaseryan. It is currently a myth. Because even if the energy issue is completely resolved in Europe itself, and even if Europe can (and this is a fantastic scenario for now) help Armenia in ensuring our energy security, Armenian products are still not very competitive.

They are not yet ready to appear en masse on the European market and compete there with local products that are subsidized by the state. In addition, the EU has strict quality standards, quotas and phytosanitary norms. So, we have to go through very long and complicated stages of internal reforms in order to really reach the European market.

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Drawing parallels between Armenia and Moldova takes on a more institutional nature. They are held not only in the media and expert field, but also by officials. CP tries to present the Moldovan model as a successful example in terms of “getting rid of Russian influence” and “Western integration”. But in reality, it is not about the strengthening of sovereignty, but about the formation of new dependence.

And now the most interesting thing.

Recently, it became known that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stopped financing Moldova due to a lack of trust.

The IMF stopped providing financial resources to Moldova due to the failure of the government to fulfill the conditions assumed in the fiscal sphere, the actual failure of the reforms.

One of the most dangerous mistakes in politics is subordinating the state interest to the service of foreign centers. The example of Moldova is a proof of this.

Maya Sandu was promised support in exchange for severing ties with Russia. When the problem was largely solved, it turned out that “political loyalty” is not enough for the West.

The decision of the IMF is the clearest indicator of this.

Sandu is not helped even by his strongly anti-state statements about uniting with Romania and thus paving the way for European integration.

The reason is simple: the West operates exclusively with pragmatic logic. As long as you are useful, you are supported and sponsored. When you stop being effective or become a burden, they just throw you away. Without sentiments, without fairy tales about “value system brotherhood”.

And the price of such a policy is paid by the ordinary Moldovan with inflation, social pressure, the increase of the state debt and economic uncertainty.

Armenia is moving on the same path today. So it is enough to just change some names and geographical names. The rest is pretty much the same.

Energy security expert Vahe Davtyan

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