US House Passes Georgia Bill Targeting Russian, Chinese Influence Amid Deepeni

Emma Jilavian
  • By Alex Raufoglu
June 09, 2026 13:25 CET

Representative Joe Wilson is the sponsor of the new legislation in the House of Representatives.

WASHINGTON — The US House of Representatives has passed legislation requiring the administration to produce a detailed assessment of Russian and Chinese intelligence activities in Georgia, marking the latest sign of growing concern in Washington over the direction of the South Caucasus country under the ruling Georgian Dream party.

The bill, H.R. 7668, known as the Countering China’s Control of the Caucasus Act, was fast-tracked through the House on June 8 and approved under suspension of the rules with bipartisan support.

The legislation mandates reports on Russian and Chinese intelligence assets and influence networks operating in Georgia, areas of cooperation between Moscow and Beijing inside the country, and a broader US strategy toward future relations with Tbilisi.

The vote comes amid mounting criticism from US lawmakers who have accused the ruling Georgian Dream party — in power since 2012 — of democratic backsliding, passing repressive laws targeting civil society and opposition voices, and tilting toward Russia and China — despite broad public support among Georgians for Euro-Atlantic integration.

Representative Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina and the bill’s sponsor, told RFE/RL after the vote that the legislation was intended to support the Georgian people rather than the country’s current leadership.

SEE ALSO:

Georgia’s Iran Embrace Is Costing It Washington

“The anti-American Georgian Dream party does not represent the Georgian people,” Wilson said. “The Georgian people want to have a strong relationship with the United States. The only way to do that is free political prisoners, have free and fair elections, and root out the malign influence of China, Russia, and Iran.”

Growing Alarm In Congress

During floor debate, lawmakers from both parties described the bill as part of a broader effort to respond to what they see as democratic deterioration and expanding foreign influence in Georgia.

Representative Brian Mast, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, argued that recent developments had raised “serious questions” about the state of democracy in the country.

“To this day, Russia occupies 20 percent of Georgia’s sovereign territory following its 2008 invasion,” Mast said, noting longstanding concerns about Moscow’s influence.

He also pointed to Beijing’s growing footprint in Georgia, including the selection of a Chinese consortium over a US company for the development of the strategically significant Anaklia deep-water port project.

“Competition is good,” Mast said, “but when it comes to critical infrastructure like this, our partners should take into consideration the risk posed by the PRC (People’s Republic of China).”

According to Mast, the legislation is designed to determine the extent of Russian and Chinese intelligence activities in Georgia while assessing whether the country remains committed to closer ties with the United States.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze

Democratic Representative Ami Bera of California echoed those concerns, describing the legislation as a response to what he characterized as democratic backsliding under Georgian Dream.

“In recent years, the current Georgian Dream government, as well as foreign malign influence from Russia and China in Georgia, have threatened Georgia’s hard-fought democratic gains, corrupted some of its state institutions, and caused a rift in US-Georgia relations and between the Georgian government and its people,” Bera said.

Bera linked the bill to the broader congressional push embodied in the MEGOBARI Act, legislation previously passed by the House that seeks to strengthen support for democratic institutions and civil society in Georgia.

“The goal is to let the Georgian people know that we stand by them in their quest for democracy, respect for their rights, and deeper integration in the Euro-Atlantic community,” he said.

Georgia, China Upgrade Ties

The House action comes as China and Georgia jointly announced on June 9 that they had elevated their bilateral relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership.”

The decision was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili on the 34th anniversary of the establishment of China-Georgia diplomatic relations.

“Today is a very important day,” Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said at a briefing on June 9. “This is a very important agreement that was signed today.”

The prime minister said the upgraded ties would further deepen Georgian-Chinese relations, noting that the two countries had already established visa-free travel, direct flights, and “concrete, tangible results” in trade and economic cooperation.

US Representative Wilson Calls For United Response To Chinese Influence In Georgia
by RFE/RL

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The sharpest criticism during the debate came from Wilson, one of Congress’s most vocal advocates for Georgia’s opposition movement and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Wilson argued that Georgia’s strategic importance has increased as Washington seeks to strengthen economic and transportation links across the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

But Wilson accused the ruling party of moving the country away from that path.

“The illegitimate Georgian Dream regime is in the process of selling out the country to the Chinese Communist Party and, indeed, war criminal Putin and Iran against the wishes of the Georgian people and the interests of the United States,” he said.

The South Carolina lawmaker also said that the new legislation passed by the US House would help determine whether Georgia should continue to receive substantial American assistance while relations remain strained.

Supporting The Georgian People

Despite the criticism directed at the Georgian government, supporters of the bill repeatedly emphasized that the legislation was intended to support Georgian citizens rather than punish the country.

Democratic Representative Bera stressed that the measure “does not seek to malign the Georgian government” but instead demonstrates that the United States remains committed to the Georgian people’s “Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”

Mast similarly framed the legislation as an effort to provide policymakers with a clearer understanding of foreign influence operations and the future trajectory of bilateral relations.

“It’s time for the United States and Georgia to move forward,” he said. “But doing so requires clarity on what’s happening in their country behind the scenes and a responsible strategy for future engagement.”

In response to the new US legislation, Georgian Prime Minister Kobakhidze called Wilson, the bill’s sponsor, an “absolutely frivolous man.”

“We continue to communicate with the executive branch, President Trump’s administration, [and] the State Department,” Kobakhidze said. “We are having specific conversations and we hope that these conversations will bring results.”

The bill now moves to the Senate; it requires Senate approval and the president’s signature to become law.

  • Alex Raufoglu

    Alex Raufoglu is RFE/RL’s senior correspondent in Washington, D.C.



https://www.rferl.org/a/us-house-passes-georgia-bill-targeting-russian-chinese-influence-amid-deepening-rift-with-tbilisi/33776729.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawSYIkNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeOx73DOEQCsD1hM5LqubIwVCiaBWWJMY3h-3R82I8sOkfA7ndyfu_HEBB7cM_aem_X0e7FbdzqxVM2U3TsBrW0w

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Pivot to China: US Concerned Over PRC Influence in Georgia

Emil Lazarian

Sova

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill calling for an investigation into Russian and Chinese influence in Georgia, including potential intelligence activities and the intersection of Moscow and Beijing’s interests. The document also proposes a review of Washington’s relations with Tbilisi. In Georgia, the response to the criticism has been an even greater shift in foreign policy cooperation in favor of Beijing.

The “Countering Chinese Influence in the Caucasus Act” was introduced in Congress back on February 24. The initiative, sponsored by Republican Joe Wilson and Democrat Steve Cohen, stipulates that within 180 days, the State Department, intelligence agencies, and the Pentagon will prepare a report on the penetration of Russian and Chinese intelligence and their associated assets into Georgia.

In addition, a five-year strategy must be developed regarding Tbilisi, which will determine whether to continue financial assistance to Georgia and how ready the country’s government is to expand economic and political cooperation with the US and Europe.

This could signal a shift from the previous logic of strategic partnership to a more selective model. The United States may review not its interest in Georgia as a country, but the format of engagement with the current authorities: which programs to maintain, which to restrict, whom to direct support to, and what conditions to set for further cooperation.

For many years, American aid has been an important tool for supporting Georgian state institutions, civil society, reforms, security, and Euro-Atlantic integration. If the new strategy concludes that the Georgian government is not demonstrating a readiness to engage with the US and Europe, it could lead to the reallocation or reduction of some programs.

Following the vote in the House of Representatives, bill co-sponsor Joe Wilson issued a sharp statement targeting Tbilisi’s ruling party:

“The illegitimate ‘Georgian Dream‘ regime is selling out the country to the Chinese Communist Party, war criminal Putin, and Iran—against the will of the Georgian people and the interests of the United States.”

However, the latest warning message from Washington was demonstratively ignored in Tbilisi. The very next day, during a morning briefing, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia had signed an agreement with the PRC, this time on a comprehensive strategic partnership.

According to the head of the cabinet, a total of 14 important international agreements have been signed between Georgia and China since 2023, with another six under final consideration. Kobakhidze also reported that trade turnover between the countries grew by 17% in 2024, by 21% in 2025, and by 45% in January-April 2026.

“Today, China ranks third among Georgia’s trading partners in terms of total trade volume and second in terms of exports of Georgian products.”

The Prime Minister added that following the establishment of the strategic partnership between the countries, a visa-free regime was introduced, direct flights expanded, and tourist flow increased.

One of Kobakhidze’s most telling statements was that China is “the only peaceful superpower on the planet”:

“It is particularly important that the Chinese side treats our country as an equal partner, which, against the backdrop of the shortcomings of global politics, is especially notable and valuable.”

Separately, the Prime Minister compared Georgia’s relations with China to its former strategic partnership with the US. According to him, what existed between Tbilisi and Washington for years was “a strategic partnership only on paper” and “lacked substance.”

“As for the strategic partnership with China, and now the comprehensive strategic partnership, this is not a partnership on paper; it has concrete substance and concrete results.”

Kobakhidze accused critics of Georgia’s rapprochement with the PRC of double standards. According to him, the US administration itself seeks to deepen relations with Beijing, and therefore cannot “objectively criticize” Tbilisi for pursuing a similar course: “That would be illogical.”

Georgia began its rapprochement with China even before the current crisis in relations with the West. In January 2018, a free trade agreement came into force, covering nearly 95% of Georgian exports. In 2023, the parties announced a strategic partnership. Following this, cooperation was expanded in trade, logistics, tourism, aviation, education, and infrastructure.

A special place on the Georgian-Chinese agenda is occupied by the Middle Corridor—a transport route designed to connect the PRC and Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

According to Kobakhidze, in January-August 2025, the number of containers transported along the Middle Corridor grew by 71%, while the volume of cargo transported in 2024 was 15 times higher than the previous year’s figure.

The Chinese vector has gradually expanded to other areas as well. In April 2026, during a visit to the PRC, Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili discussed the possibility of oil and gas extraction in Georgia with representatives of Geo-Jade Petroleum Corporation and China ZhenHua Oil.

However, critics are concerned about more than just China’s economic or infrastructural presence. According to them, Beijing is strengthening its political, ideological, and even media influence in Tbilisi. One of the latest examples is the situation with the Obieqtivi TV channel. According to data from the Media Development Foundation (MDF), in the second quarter of 2025, the television company received funds from the Chinese Embassy for “broadcasting placement.”

Irakli Tsilikishvili, chairman of Obieqtivi’s board of directors, confirmed that the funds were used to produce several 50-minute episodes of the program “Chinese Panorama.” The show airs in a talk-show format against the backdrop of a Chinese flag and provides positive coverage of the PRC’s economy, politics, and its role in world events.

In early June, America’s top diplomat Marco Rubio stated that the US has serious concerns regarding the growing Chinese influence in Georgia. During a House hearing, Congressman Wilson asked the Secretary of State how he assessed the “rapid radicalization” of Tbilisi’s ruling “Georgian Dream” party, particularly its support for the Chinese Communist Party. In response, Rubio expressed hope that the US would see “a change in Georgia’s current trajectory.”

Shortly thereafter, Prime Minister Kobakhidze stated that “Georgia is not a schoolboy who can be held back for a second year and told to improve.” However, he assured that the authorities want to resume the strategic partnership with Washington through some kind of new “roadmap.”

Critics of the Georgian government do not believe the statements about wanting to reset relations with the US. The opposition is convinced that the government is effectively trying to replace its strategic partnership with the West with rapprochement with China. According to Grigol Gegelia, a member of the “Lelo – Strong Georgia” party, such a substitution is “an _expression_ of the deplorable collapse” that the ruling party has experienced in its relations with the US and the EU.

“Today, the de facto prime minister has already openly and publicly declared an attempt to alter the main trajectory of Georgia’s foreign policy development and has presented China as our main strategic partner.”

Gegelia recalled that the PRC opposes NATO expansion, which contradicts Georgia’s key foreign policy goals enshrined in the country’s Constitution. Furthermore, according to the opposition politician, while the strategic partnership document mentions the “One China” principle, it makes no mention of supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

Notably, about a week ago, the UN General Assembly adopted a new resolution on internally displaced persons from occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The document was supported by 107 states, including the US and other Western partners of Tbilisi, while China abstained.

Journalists asked Prime Minister Kobakhidze to comment on Beijing’s decision against the backdrop of the strategic rapprochement between the two countries. The politician stated that he “respects China’s arguments” regarding its refusal to vote in favor of the resolution for Georgia. According to the Prime Minister, the PRC has “its own specific reasons,” and he does not wish to delve into them.

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If Trump believes in Azerbaijan-Armenia peace, why does Baku want weapons?

Greg Madatian
By Michael Rubin
Published June 10, 2026 8:00am ET


On June 1, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev posted a framed order President Donald Trump gave him waiving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. Essentially, Trump’s waiver allows Azerbaijan to purchase American weaponry.

In 1992, Congress passed the Freedom Support Act to help the newly independent states that emerged from the Soviet Union’s collapse build their capacity and transition to democracy. At the time, Azerbaijani forces were leading pogroms against Armenians across Azerbaijan and seeking to ethnically cleanse Nagorno-Karabakh, an autonomous Armenian region that Josef Stalin had assigned to Azerbaijan. The Senate wrote into the law a provision that banned U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan but enabled a presidential waiver.

For much of its first decade, Section 907 remained in force, and Azerbaijan received little direct support. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush issued an ultimatum: “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists,” he told a Joint Session of Congress. Heydar Aliyev, the former Soviet KGB officer and Central Committee member who had taken the reins of power in Azerbaijan in a slow-motion coup against the backdrop of outrage he incited after false rumors of a “genocide” in the tiny village of Khojaly, was savvy. He told Bush he stood with him, then lobbied for a waiver to Section 907. Behind the scenes, for anyone dedicated enough to follow the money, Aliyev was equally aligned with Russia and Iran. When Heydar died and left power to his son Ilham, the younger Aliyev kept the two-faced policy.

The sine qua non of the waiver was the State Department’s certification that Azerbaijan would not use its weaponry against Armenia. On Sept. 14, 2023, Yuri Kim, the acting assistant secretary of state, testified in Congress that the United States would not tolerate any Azerbaijani aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. Just five days later, Azerbaijani forces stormed into the region, dynamiting churches, sandblasting ancient Armenian inscriptions, bulldozing graveyards, beheading old men on video, and ethnically cleansing 120,000 Armenians. The State Department should have been embarrassed: Ilham Aliyev deliberately humiliated it. Trump later took to TruthSocial to declare, “Kamala Harris did NOTHING as 120,000 Armenian Christians were horrifically persecuted and forcibly displaced in Artsakh.” He promised to “protect persecuted Christians,” “stop the violence and ethnic cleansing,” and restore peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Trump has advanced the peace process, and on Aug. 8, 2025, he invited Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the White House to sign a peace agreement. Nevertheless, the Azerbaijani Army continues to occupy almost 100 square miles of undisputed Armenian land. On May 26, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefly visited Yerevan to discuss Trump’s peace corridor connecting two parts of Azerbaijan through southern Armenia.

The question Congress should ask, and Trump and Rubio should answer, is this: If the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace agreement is as water-tight and complete as they claim, why does Azerbaijan need advanced American weaponry? Who would Aliyev use it against? The occupation of Armenian land provides a strong hint. The danger is if Aliyev humiliated the State Department once, why would he not do so twice, if only to posture before his domestic audience?

Perhaps Rubio and Azerbaijan’s partisans might whisper about how Azerbaijan needs weapons to fight Iran. But this, too, does not pass the smell test. For all its talk about the necessity of a corridor across Armenia, Azerbaijan has already built a corridor through Iran through which it directs its trade. Under Aliyev’s stewardship, Azerbaijan’s trade with the Islamic Republic has surpassed Armenia’s trade with Iran. Nor does Azerbaijan need the weaponry to counter Russia. After all, Aliyev’s policy toward Russia revolves around helping the Kremlin evade sanctions, not holding it to account for Ukraine.

Something is amiss in the Caucasus. Countries committed to peace and tolerance neither occupy their neighbor nor ethnically cleanse Christian minorities. Countries that have America’s back do not trade with Iran or launder money for Russia. Make no mistake: By waiving 907, Trump and Rubio are not protecting Christians. They are repeating the worst mistakes of President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.


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HIKEArmenia Takes the Armenian National Trail Online

Boshkezenian Garik

HIKEArmenia  

Website: https://hikearmenia.org/

HIKEArmenia unveils one of the country’s most ambitious long-term tourism and regional development initiatives: the Armenian National Trail (ANT),  a nearly 1,000-kilometer village-to-village hiking route stretching across Armenia from north to south. Starting today, the newly launched Armenian National Trail website [https://www.armeniannationaltrail.org/], available in English and Armenian, gives hikers access to the first available trail sections in the Lori and Tavush regions , with maps, route information, insights, and practical tools to plan hikes across Armenia. 


Developed by HIKEArmenia, funded by the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation, and strengthened through memorandums of understanding with the Tourism Committee of Armenia and the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia, the Armenian National Trail connects 109 towns and villages across five regions: Lori, Tavush, Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, and Syunik. The full trail is expected to be completed by the end of 2030. 

Another big news is that the ANT has just been selected to be presented at the upcoming World Trails Conference in October 2026, where the global hiking community comes together to celebrate the power of trails to connect people, cultures, and landscapes.  

The trail begins in Akhtala in Lori Province, passes through Tavush, Gegharkunik, and Vayots Dzor, and concludes in Meghri, Syunik. Across nearly 1,000 kilometers, it will take hikers through forested areas, semi-steppe landscapes, rocky sections, river valleys, and the mountains of southern Armenia, showing much of the country’s natural diversity in one route.

“Hikers will be able to travel across Armenia while staying in local communities and carrying only a backpack with daily basics, thanks to the trail’s village-to-village design. The website will allow visitors to fully plan their route before they begin and prepare their entire journey in advance,” said Shahane Halajyan, Executive Director of HIKEArmenia.

Visitors will be able to explore routes in advance, access professional trail maps, download navigation data, identify accommodation and food options in communities along the route, receive updated information on trail conditions, and discover locally available experiences across different regions through the website.

In addition to its practical functions, the platform will feature interpretive content highlighting the natural environment encountered along the trail. The beauty of Armenia’s landscapes –its mountains, valleys, and ecological diversity – will be documented and explained through the website, allowing hikers to better understand and appreciate the natural surroundings as an integral part of their journey.

The trail is being developed not only as an outdoor recreation destination, but also as a platform for rural development and ecotourism. By bringing visitors into villages and small towns, ANT creates opportunities for local guesthouses, food providers, guides, artisans, transport services, and other small businesses.

By connecting communities through hiking, the project aims to support local entrepreneurship, create seasonal employment opportunities, and help the benefits of tourism reach more regions across the country.

***

HIKEArmenia is a nonprofit organization created in 2015 and funded by the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation, with the goal to develop and promote hiking across Armenia through trail building, sustainable tourism, and community partnerships. By creating accessible outdoor experiences and supporting regional tourism development, HIKEArmenia works to strengthen local communities and position Armenia as a leading hiking destination.

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ANN/Groong – Calendar of Events – 06/11/2026

Dabaghian Diana

Armenian News Calendar of events

(All times local to events)

    What: “Los Angeles, Beirut and Artsakh: A Diasporic Trajectory”

    a lecture in Armenian is given by Ara Oshagan

    When: Thursday, June 18, 7:30 pm Pacific time

    Where: Organized by Crescenta Valley Meher & Satig Der Ohanessian Youth Center

    2633 Honolulu Ave. Montrose, CA 91020

    Misc: Ara Oshagan will present work from a trilogy of photography-based projects that

    traverse three locations of critical importance to Armenian communities and to him

    personally: Los Angeles, Beirut, and Artsakh.

    His documentary work in Los Angeles seeks to document a diaspora in time and to reassess

    how we draw the contours of community. Beirut is a complex and fraught return to his youth

    and a history of war, while Artsakh and the homeland have long occupied Oshagan’s imagination.

    He has worked there for more than twenty years and is currently engaged in a project with

    displaced Artsakhtsi communities. His work in these spaces reflects a diasporic state of

    mind: fractured, complex, full of longing, and layered notions of home.

    Oshagan will present a broad selection of his work and discuss his experiences, as well as

    the ways these three sites are interconnected and intertwined.

    We invite the greater community to attend this free public presentation.

    Tel: 818-244-9639

      Armenian News’s calendar of events is collected and updated mostly from

      announcements posted on this list, and submissions to Armenian [email protected].

      To submit, send to Armenian [email protected], and please note the following

      important points:

      • Armenian News’s administrators have final say on what may be included in Groong’s calendar of events.
      • Posting time is on Thursdays, 06:00 Pacific time.
      • Calendar items are short, functional, and edited to fit a template.
      • There is no guarantee or promise that an item will be published on time.
      • Calendar information is believed to be from reliable sources. However, no responsibility is assumed by Armenian News Administrators for inaccuracies and up-to-date-ness..
      • No commercial events will be accepted. (Dinners, dances, etc. This is not an ad-space.)
      • The Week in Review Podcasts
      • The Critical Corner
      • The Literary Armenian News
      • Review & Outlook
      • Probing the Photographic Record
      • Armenia House Museums
      • ..and much more

      © Copyright 2026, Armenian News Network / Armenian News, all rights reserved.

      Regards,
      —
      Armenian News Network / Armenian News
      https://Armenian News.org/

      Los Angeles, CA     / USA

      —

      Donald Trump congratulates Nikol Pashinyan on election victory

      Toneyan Mark
      Politics23:05, 10 June 2026
      Read the article in: ArabicՀայերենРусскийTurkçe

      U.S. President Donald Trump has congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his party’s victory in the parliamentary elections.

      Trump made the statement in a post on his Truth Social account.

      “Congratulations to Nikol Pashinyan for his decisive victory in Armenia’s National Elections. I was very proud to have Endorsed him for Re-Election, and have no doubt that, with him as the Leader of the beautiful Country of Armenia, it will attain levels of Greatness and Success beyond everyone’s wildest expectations! President DONALD J. TRUMP. ”

      According to the preliminary results of Armenia’sJune 7 parliamentary elections, three political forces have secured seats in parliament: the Civil Contract Party, the Strong Armenia Alliance, and the Armenia Alliance.

      Preliminary data show that the Civil Contract Party received 727,827 votes, or 49.825 percent. With this result, the party is set to secure a parliamentary majority and form the government.

      The Strong Armenia Alliance received 340,088 votes, or 23.281 percent, while the Armenia Alliance won 145,113 votes, or 9.934 percent.

      The Prosperous Armenia Party came very close to the electoral threshold of 4 percent. According to the preliminary results, the party received 3.996 percent of the vote, falling short of entering parliament by 0.004 percentage points.

      Prosperous Armenia earlier announced that it would apply to the Central Electoral Commission for recounts at a number of polling stations. Other political forces have also called for recounts.

      Read the article in: ArabicՀայերենРусскийTurkçe

      Published by Armenpress, original at 
      —

      Armenpress: Luxembourg congratulates Armenia, says parliamentary elections wer

      Emil Lazarian
      Politics23:10, 10 June 2026
      Read the article in: ArabicՀայերենRussian

      Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has congratulated Armenia on the successful conduct of the parliamentary elections held on June 7 and on the active participation of citizens in the vote.

      The ministry made the statement in a post on the social media platform X.

      “Congratulations to the people of Armenia on the successful elections and strong democratic participation.

      The vote is a clear reaffirmation of Armenia’s commitment to democracy, stability, and closer ties with Europe.

      We look forward to deepening our partnership.”

      According to the preliminary results of Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections, three political forces have secured seats in parliament: the Civil Contract Party, the Strong Armenia Alliance, and the Armenia Alliance.

      Preliminary data show that the Civil Contract Party received 727,827 votes, or 49.825 percent. With this result, the party is set to secure a parliamentary majority and form the government.

      The Strong Armenia Alliance received 340,088 votes, or 23.281 percent, while the Armenia Alliance won 145,113 votes, or 9.934 percent.

      The Prosperous Armenia Party came very close to the electoral threshold of 4 percent. According to the preliminary results, the party received 3.996 percent of the vote, falling short of entering parliament by 0.004 percentage points.

      Prosperous Armenia earlier announced that it would apply to the Central Electoral Commission for recounts in a number of polling stations. Other political forces have also called for recounts.

      Read the article in: ArabicՀայերենRussian

      Published by Armenpress, original at 
      —

      Verelq: As a result of the recounts, 140 votes have already been added in favor of PAP

      Ekmekjian Janet

      As a result of the recounts of the last two days, 140 votes have already been added in favor of the “Prosperous Armenia” party.

      This means that the electoral right of at least 140 citizens is exercised, and their vote will be fairly reflected in the final result of the election.

      As a result of working cooperation with CEC partners, the process of restoring votes is currently underway. Counting continues in various polling stations.

      These data prove that in practice and within the framework of common sense, there is no obstacle preventing the PAP from being in the National Assembly.


      Iveta Tonoyan




      —

      Who Does Azerbaijan Want to See Win Armenia’s Elections?

      Adrine Hakobian

      Who Does Azerbaijan Want to See Win Armenia’s Elections?

      By fueling the arguments of both supporters and opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijan wants to ensure he is re-elected with a weaker mandate.

      By Bashir Kitachaev
      Published on Jun 5, 2026

      Parliamentary elections in Armenia on June 7 are likely to be the most important vote in the South Caucasus country since the Velvet Revolution of 2018. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has effectively turned it into a referendum: Vote for his Civil Contract party and the painful decisions required for peace, or the pro-Russian opposition and risk a new war. Although the opposition tends to agree with Pashinyan that it’s a referendum, it would put the choice differently: capitulation versus preserving Armenia’s national dignity.  

      Azerbaijan and Armenia are currently normalizing relations following three decades of confrontation and several wars—and Azerbaijan has not hidden its interest in the twists and turns of its neighbor’s election campaign. But Azerbaijan’s position remains ambiguous. Some of Baku’s actions strengthen the position of Pashinyan’s supporters, while others play into the hands of his opponents.

      On the surface, Azerbaijan has every reason to want to see Pashinyan re-elected. After all, it was under Pashinyan that Armenia recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, gave up on Armenian claims to Nagorno-Karabakh, and abandoned the narrative of returning the Armenians expelled by Baku from the formerly disputed region—all for the sake of progress in peace talks with Azerbaijan. To improve ties with Azerbaijan’s major regional backer, Türkiye, Pashinyan has advocated abandoning traditional Armenian symbols like Mount Ararat, and giving up on efforts to persuade the international community to recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915.

      Pashinyan believes Armenians have no choice but to make compromises and concessions if they want to make peace and reopen the country’s international borders with Azerbaijan and Türkiye. Yerevan has even begun preparations for the constitutional referendum that is one of Baku’s conditions for peace.  

      Pashinyan’s policies have already produced tangible results. The trade between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey is being resumed, while Washington has brokered an agreement for what would be the first trade transit route through the three countries for decades: the so-called Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) that would pass through southern Armenia. 

      There are also significant advantages for Baku in continuing the normalization of relations with Yerevan. Azerbaijan’s economy has been stagnating, and oil export revenue is unpredictable. Being able to present itself as the architect of a regional reconciliation and a new transit corridor would give Baku access to new money flows, a new source of legitimacy, and a new argument in its ongoing dialogue with the West.

      Pashinyan is a key element of such a future for Azerbaijan. He has proved his ability to negotiate, his consistency, and his willingness to take political risks by explaining the necessity of concessions to the Armenian public. There is no other similar figure in Armenian politics.

      It’s unsurprising, therefore, that Baku regularly signals that an opposition victory in Armenia’s elections could mean the collapse of peace negotiations, and further conflict. “We know that there are enough groups in Armenian politics that live with hatred toward the Azerbaijani people and state, and if they come to power, the Armenian people will have a lot of problems,” President Ilham Aliyev said in April. Other Azerbaijani officials have made comments along similar lines.  

      State-owned media outlets in Azerbaijan have been even more direct, with articles that warn of the dangers of Armenia’s “party of war” coming to power and describe Pashinyan’s successes. The latter stand out in particular because until very recently, Pashinyan was nothing less than a hate figure for Azerbaijani media.

      Still, Azerbaijan’s position is not that simple. Despite all the conversations about striving for peace in the region, Baku has not made any concessions—even symbolic ones—that would help Pashinyan justify himself to Armenians. While Azerbaijan has started selling fuel and some other goods to Armenia, it has also continued tearing down Armenian churches in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is bad timing for Pashinyan. Baku also reacted angrily to European Parliament resolutions criticizing Azerbaijan’s treatment of the former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh.

      Nor has Baku given up on the concept of “western Azerbaijan”—a term used by the Azerbaijani authorities to refer to modern Armenia, which implies it is rightfully Azerbaijani territory. In recent months, a state university in Azerbaijan has opened a department for the study of “the economic potential of western Azerbaijan,” and there have been discussions about setting up a football team called Western Azerbaijan. While this sort of official rhetoric is not as strident as it once was, it has not disappeared.

      In Armenia, all of this is seen as evidence that Azerbaijan’s territorial ambitions did not end with the seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. It plays directly into the hands of Armenia’s pro-Russian opposition: If the pressure from Baku continues despite all Yerevan’s concessions, they argue, it means Pashinyan’s strategy isn’t working. Such arguments have been made repeatedly by the opposition. “Either you come to vote, or the Azerbaijanis will come” is a slogan used by Samvel Karapetyan, leader of the Strong Armenia party, in one of his election campaign videos.

      In other words, Azerbaijan is pouring fuel on the arguments made by both Pashinyan’s supporters and his opponents. This might seem illogical and contradictory, but Baku’s ultimate goal is not just to ensure Pashinyan is re-elected, but that he is re-elected with a weaker mandate.

      When Pashinyan conducts peace negotiations, discusses changes to the Armenian constitution, and negotiates transit routes across Armenian territory, Baku wants him to be politically vulnerable, caught between fears of a new war and accusations of capitulation. Such an electoral outcome would make the Armenian leader more dependent on external sources of legitimacy, and, as a result, easier for Azerbaijan to manage. This logic is entirely in keeping with the broader strategy of the Azerbaijani authorities: peace with Armenia—on the victor’s terms.

      About the Author

      Bashir Kitachaev
      p]:text-bodyDisplaySmall gmail-payload-richtext” st1yle=”box-sizing:border-box;border:0px solid rgb(229,231,235);font-family:”GT Sectra Book”,ui-serif,Georgia,Cambria,”Times New Roman”,Times,serif;margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:0px”>

      Journalist specializing on the South Caucasus region

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      Armenian arts in America: from Broadway pioneers to today’s rising voices

      Emil Lazarian
      Rosie (Toumanian) NisanyanJune 10, 2026Last Updated: June 10, 2026

      0 7 minutes read

      Dedicated to the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, this is the first in a series titled “Armenian Arts in America,” exploring the history and impact Armenians have had on the arts in the United States. Whether born in the U.S. or immigrants, Armenians have made an indelible mark on the arts in America. 

      Armenians have been prolific in the theater arts, including plays, musicals and operas, seeing success with both Armenian and non-Armenian material. 

      In examining the community, key themes emerge: an unapologetic exploration of self, society and heritage; a commitment to vulnerability, discussing what some Armenians might consider “taboo,” like sex or drugs; and an acknowledgement of their national trauma in the context of daily American life. 

      Unsurprisingly, this kind of creative _expression_ is not limited to one medium. While they may have started on stage, many playwrights, directors and performers also worked in literature, film, television and music.

      Flora Zabelle

      One of the first, if not the first, Armenians on Broadway was actress Flora Zabelle. Born Zabelle Mangasarian in Istanbul in 1880, she made her Broadway debut in 1900 as Poppy in the musical “San Toy.” Zabelle continued to perform on Broadway for another 20 years, while also starring in early silent films. 

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      William Saroyan

      A giant of literature, there is perhaps no Armenian American writer who looms larger than William Saroyan. The Fresno, California-born writer’s words have garnered critical acclaim and inspired generations of Armenian artists. Opening on Broadway in 1939, his play “The Time of Your Life” was the first drama to win both the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 

      “The Time of Your Life” proved to be a breakthrough opportunity for the future stage. Screen icon Gene Kelly choreographed and performed in the show, which also featured Armenian American Ross Bagdasarian, the future creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was later adapted into a film of the same name, as was Saroyan’s play “My Heart’s in the Highlands.”

      Rouben Mamoulian

      In 1937, Saroyan reportedly dined with another prominent Armenian in the New York theater scene: Rouben Mamoulian. In addition to directing popular films such as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” in 1931 and “The Mark of Zorro” in 1940, the Tbilisi-born Mamoulian is admired among theater audiences for his early contributions to now-classic Broadway musicals. Mamoulian directed the very first Broadway productions of “Oklahoma!” in 1943 and “Carousel” in 1945, the styles of which influenced the development of many later Broadway musicals.

      With an eye for musical theater, Mamoulian took his talents to the world of opera, directing the first production of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” in 1935. Following him in the world of opera have been a number of luminous performers: Bulgaria-born tenor Armand Tokatyan, Detroit-born bass Ara Berberian, Chicago-native contralto Lili Chookasian, Connecticut-born soprano Lucine Amara, and Detroit-based soprano Mané Galoyan, who most recently starred as Gretel in Houston Grand Opera’s production of “Hansel and Gretel.”

      Mamoulian’s contributions to the arts cannot be overstated, as evidenced by the Library of Congress’s extensive archive of his life and works, the Rouben Mamoulian Papers.

      These early pioneers “set the stage” for the accomplished Armenian artists of today.

      Andrea Martin

      While Armenians may immediately recognize her from the “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” films, Andrea Martin is also a two-time Tony Award-winning actress. She earned these honors for her roles in the 1992 musical adaptation of “My Favorite Year” and the 2013 revival of the musical “Pippin.” Born in Maine before relocating to Toronto, Martin holds the record for the most Tony nominations for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, with a total of five. Martin continues to engage with her Armenian heritage through active involvement with the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) and her recent role in the Off-Broadway play “Meet the Cartozians.”  

      Eric Bogosian

      Before becoming a mainstay on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and today’s “Interview with the Vampire,” Eric Bogosian arrived on the New York City stage. The Massachusetts native began with performance art pieces and quickly became a leader in character-based solo shows. His monologues from these works were the basis for his project “100 Monologues.” Bogosian then gained widespread acclaim for his play “Talk Radio,” which he wrote and starred in before its transfer to Broadway. “Talk Radio” was named a finalist for the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and adapted into a film of the same name.

      Debbie Ohanian

      Also from the Boston area is Debbie Ohanian, producer of the Tony- and Grammy-winning musical “Buena Vista Social Club” and co-producer of the Tony-nominated musical “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” both currently on Broadway. Through her support, diverse styles of music and dance are reaching wider audiences — from traditional Cuban music and Broadway’s first-ever dance-along performance to LGBTQ ballroom culture. 

      Leslie Ayvazian

      New Jersey-born Leslie Ayvazian is a playwright, actor and dramaturgy professor. Her plays often explore womanhood, sexuality and Armenian identity. Ayvazian won the 1994 Roger L. Stevens Award and the 1996 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for her play “Nine Armenians,” which follows three generations of an Armenian American family. She is currently reading her one-woman show “Mention My Beauty” at New York Theatre Workshop, as part of the “In The Bricks” festival.

      Aramazd Stepanian

      Actor, director and playwright Aramazd Stepanian has spent a significant portion of his career bringing Armenian-language works to the stage, sometimes translating them into English. Born in Iran, Stepanian has been active in the global theater community, staging well over 125 productions through the Armenian Theatre Company and in his own theaters in London (Alperton Performing Arts Centre) and Glendale, California (Luna Playhouse).

      In addition to their own extensive and growing body of work, these icons of the stage have inspired, mentored and collaborated with the next generation. 

      Talene Monahon

      Originally from the Boston area, Talene Monahon is an actor and playwright, whose work has been staged around the country. Her recent play “Meet the Cartozians” opened Off-Broadway last fall with a cast that included Andrea Martin. It won over critics and audiences alike with its exploration of what it means to be Armenian in the U.S. in the 1920s and today.The play was named a finalist for the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play.

      Asked about the influence of other Armenian Americans on her work, Monahon told The Armenian Weekly: “I’ve long been influenced by the Armenian American writers who came before me. I am grateful to have personal relationships with Eric Bogosian and Leslie Ayvazian, who have both been wonderful mentors and champions of my writing over the years. I also remain continually inspired by the work of the great William Saroyan, who wrote about the Armenian American experience with an incisive humor and understanding of character that was deeply influential to me when I was writing ‘Meet the Cartozians.’”

      Gabriel Elizabeth Kadian

      Gabriel Elizabeth Kadian, an actor and writer originally from Detroit, worked with musician and composer Stephanie Wu and producer Travis Murad Leland to bring her father’s book to the stage, “Anahid Played Soorp: The Finding of Aran Pirian.” Her show “Anahid: An Armenian Musical” tells the story of her great-grandmother’s exodus from the Ottoman Empire to New York and then to Detroit. In September 2025, the musical received its first industry presentation, during which songs from the show were performed.

      Interestingly, Kadian and Leland first connected over Richard Kalinoski’s award-winning play “Beast on the Moon,” which follows a pair of Armenians who immigrated to the U.S. after the genocide. The play also prominently featured an actual photo from the Project SAVE Archives.

      Arthur Makaryan

      Originally from Armenia, Arthur Makaryan is a New York City-based director of opera and theater who received Juilliard’s Opera Directing Fellowship in 2017. As Artistic Director of ARTÉMAKAR PRODUCTIONS, Makaryan experiments with emerging technologies to tell stories. He most recently directed Nora Sørena Casey’s “Censorship of Dreams” at La MaMa in New York City, an experimental theater piece that explores technology, emotion and memory in a world without privacy.

      Emily Simonian

      Originally from California and now based in Virginia, Singer-songwriter Emily Simonian has waded into the musical theater space to tell the story of her family’s escape from the Armenian Genocide. Following in-development concert performances in New York City and Washington, D.C. (in partnership with the Armenian Embassy), her debut musical “When Two of Us Meet” will have its staged presentation world premiere in Pensacola, Florida next month.

      When asked about theater as a medium for telling Armenian stories, Simonian told The Armenian Weekly: “Armenian culture is inherently theatrical because it’s so vibrant — full of warmth, music, dance and emotional depth — which makes it a natural fit for musical theatre. That’s what inspired me to write the musical ‘When Two of Us Meet,’ a title influenced by my admiration for William Saroyan and the humanity woven throughout his work. Traditional Armenian music and dance already feel cinematic and alive onstage, and musical theatre feels like a natural home for Armenian stories.”

      “Armenian culture is inherently theatrical because it’s so vibrant — full of warmth, music, dance and emotional depth — which makes it a natural fit for musical theatre.”

      When it comes to Armenians in the theater, it’s a fun game of Six Degrees of Separation.

      Rouben Mamoulian directed the original Broadway production of the musical “Oklahoma!” in 1943, a show that later earned Andrea Martin a Tony nomination in 2002. 

      In 2025, Martin starred in Talene Monahon’s “Meet the Cartozians,” alongside Tamara Sevunts, who works with Arthur Makaryan as the Associate Artistic Director of ARTÉMAKAR PRODUCTIONS.

      “Meet the Cartozians” was recently named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, an honor previously bestowed upon Eric Bogosian’s “Talk Radio” in 1988 and won by William Saroyan’s “The Time of Your Life” in 1940. 

      All of this illustrates just how tight-knit and supportive this community is, contributing to a heightened level of inspiration, collaboration and success.



      Rosie (Toumanian) Nisanyan

      Rosie (Toumanian) Nisanyan (she/her) is the Arts and Culture Multimedia Correspondent for The Armenian Weekly. She reports on arts and cultural events, reviews performances, and interviews artists and cultural researchers of the diverse Armenian Diaspora. She grew up in the vibrant Armenian communities of Chicago, Ill. and Orange County, Calif. before moving to New York to work in Broadway advertising. From writing for her high school newspaper to crafting consumer trend reports, Rosie has been a writer all her life. Her writing portfolio also spans poetry, screenplays and humor pieces.

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