Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Aragatsotn Province on Wednesday.

His first stop was a kindergarten in the village of Ushi, which has recently been renovated.

He then inspected the newly renovated Yeghishe Charents School in the village of Yernjapat.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed confidence that the implementation of the TRIPP connectivity project will begin on the ground in 2026.

“I am convinced that in 2026 we will already start work on the ground. According to my calculations, the fastest step will be commissioning the power transmission lines. This project will also create many jobs, and I hope we will ensure that these jobs are filled by citizens of Armenia, and that companies will not need to bring in labor from other countries,” said Nikol Pashinyan while presenting the Civil Contract party’s election program, particularly its economic development plan.

He said the reconstruction of the railway sections from Gyumri to the Turkish border and from Yeraskh to the Nakhchivan border will be carried out swiftly, within one to one and a half years.

The Civil Contract election program states that the full unblocking of the region’s transport infrastructure—including both the implementation of the TRIPP project and the operation of the Gyumri–Kars railway—will not only further strengthen peace and cooperation in the region but will also transform it into an important hub of east–west and north–south connectivity, a “Crossroads of Peace.”

The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a connectivity project in Armenia envisaged under the U.S.-brokered Armenian–Azerbaijani joint declaration signed in Washington, D.C. The project is expected to unlock strategic economic opportunities, create long-term benefits by promoting infrastructure investment, and enhance regional connectivity. TRIPP is part of the Crossroads of Peace initiative, and an Armenian–American joint enterprise is expected to develop the route.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Wednesday that Syunik Airport in Armenia’s southeast has “considerable potential” to start serving international flights.

In a video address presenting the Civil Contract party’s election program, Pashinyan highlighted that the government has already launched the process.

“Of course, the Syunik Airport is already able to receive aircraft of a certain size, and if necessary, work will be carried out to expand the capacity of the runway so that it can accommodate larger aircraft.

Our calculations show that the Syunik Airport also has considerable potential for operating international flights,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

Syunik Airport, located in the eponymous province of Syunik in the town of Kapan, is currently designated as a domestic airport, serving flights to and from Yerevan.

Following a recently approved investment program, the airport could begin serving international flights. If implemented, Syunik Airport would become Armenia’s third international airport, after Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport and Gyumri’s Shirak Airport.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has stated that further development of the Yerevan metro has no alternative.

While presenting the pre-election program of the ruling Civil Contract party,  the PM said: “You see the state of traffic in Yerevan today. There is no doubt that the further development of the metro has no alternative.”

“Our goal is to make the system circular,” he said.

He also noted that, according to transport experts, in the future the metro could operate in two opposite directions, which would improve efficiency and allow to transport more passengers.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spokesperson, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, warned on Wednesday of intensified disinformation campaigns targeting Armenia.

She made the remarks at an event organized by the Public Relations and Information Center, an analytical government agency.

Baghdasaryan presented studies conducted by the government into disinformation campaigns and hybrid threats.

“I am confident that this meeting will yield the most effective results for all of us. I want to thank everyone for their active cooperation, because the state cannot act alone in the fight against hybrid warfare. Resilience can be achieved through active collaboration, involving non-governmental organizations, media platforms, and independent investigators,” she noted.

Baghdasaryan also emphasized the government’s readiness for ongoing cooperation to prevent disinformation campaigns.

“Our studies show that disinformation campaigns are not only present but are also intensifying, and they can only be prevented through your active engagement,” she said, addressing those present.

According to her, disinformation and hybrid threats are not new phenomena for Armenia.

“This phenomenon is not new to us; we have been confronting it since 2021. However, as in the rest of the world, in Armenia these campaigns significantly intensify in the context of pre-election processes,” Baghdasaryan noted.

The Prime Minister’s press secretary also presented statistical data highlighting the increase in intensity.

“If in the previous 11 months we recorded around 72 cases, then in just one month—from March 15 to April 15, 2026—these cases increased by 42. This shows that 2–3 or more disinformation campaigns are being recorded daily,” she said.

According to Baghdasaryan, the methodology for spreading disinformation has also changed.

“Whereas previously disinformation was mainly based on entirely false news, the manipulative news now circulating often includes some facts connected to reality. A real fact is taken, false information is added, and a complete narrative is created that can mislead the public,” she said.

She emphasized that the targets of disinformation campaigns are not individual persons but the state and public trust.

“The target of disinformation campaigns is not any official or political party; the target is the state and public trust. In an environment of massive information noise, it is very difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood, and this is the most effective way to undermine public confidence,” Baghdasaryan noted.

According to her, such processes are also aimed at reducing trust in democratic values and electoral processes.

“Their objective is the targeting of our democratic values; public trust, including reducing trust in the upcoming elections, to create the impression that the election results are predetermined,” she said.

Baghdasaryan added that in conditions of information overload, objective information becomes less visible.

“When a person is confronted with false information every day, they become detached from reality, and as a result, accurate and objective information gradually diminishes amid the public noise,” she said.

She also highlighted the important role of information officers in state institutions.

“In these conditions, the work of press services, spokespersons, and information officers across various state agencies is becoming increasingly complex,” the Prime Minister’s press secretary concluded.

AI-generated content is changing the landscape of disinformation in Armenia, with narratives increasingly mixing real facts and artificial intelligence–created audio and video, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s press secretary, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, warned Wednesday.

Baghdasaryan, speaking at an awareness-raising event on tackling fake news organized by the Public Relations and Information Center, noted that the nature of disinformation campaigns has changed significantly in recent times.

“Whereas in the past, false news was largely absurd, now narratives are partially based on real facts and make extensive use of artificial intelligence,” she said.

The Prime Minister’s press secretary added that these trends provide a basis for predicting new waves of disinformation.

She warned that fake news distributors could utilize AI to stage false “leaks” of fake documents presented as real.

“This is why we are not only forecasting but also anticipating that in the coming period, there may be ‘leaks’ of documents generated by artificial intelligence, as well as actions that appear real. This particularly concerns AI-generated audio and video content, which will closely resemble real images,” Baghdasaryan emphasized.

She added that legislative changes have already been implemented to respond to these challenges.

“This is also the purpose of the recent legislative amendments adopted in the National Assembly, which require labeling AI-generated materials during the pre-election period, allowing for their proper distinction,” she said.

According to her, international experience has also played an important role in addressing this issue.

“The experience of different countries has helped us, and we have been able to create certain preventive measures, which we hope will be effective,” concluded Nazeli Baghdasaryan.

According to the Washington-based Heritage Foundation think tank’s Index of Economic Freedom, Armenia’s score is 67.1, making its economy the 52nd freest among 176 countries.

Armenia’s Minister of Economy, Gevorg Papoyan, commented on the index.

“With this indicator, the leading countries are Singapore, Switzerland, and Ireland. According to 2025 data, we were 57th with 65.4 points (we improved our position by five places),” the minister wrote on social media.

Armenia ranks ahead of EU member states such as Spain (53rd), Romania (58th), France (65th), Italy (73rd), Greece (75th), and Hungary (79th).

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, during his visit to Kazakhstan for the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026), met with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, who is also among the attendees.

The presidents hailed that relations between the two countries are developing with stable and positive momentum, covering various areas of cooperation, Khachaturyan’s Office said in a readout.

At the same time, both sides emphasized that there is still significant untapped potential, the full use of which requires targeted and consistent steps, as well as the expansion of joint initiatives.

“During the conversation, the sides thoroughly discussed regional developments, stressing that a qualitatively new situation has emerged in the South Caucasus following the events of August 2025. In this context, it was noted that the current realities open new opportunities for the region and neighboring countries to rethink their cooperation and build it on more predictable, mutually beneficial, and long-term foundations,” the readout said.

In particular, the importance of peace, stability, and the development of communications was emphasized as key prerequisites for economic activity and the deepening of mutual ties.

During the meeting, the presidents exchanged views on ways to expand cooperation in promising areas such as the economy, high technology and artificial intelligence, agriculture, education and science, as well as other forward-looking sectors. Emphasis was placed on promoting innovation, developing scientific and educational links, exchanging professional experience and best practices, and implementing joint programs that could contribute to the economic growth and competitiveness of both countries.

The sides also highlighted the importance of continuously strengthening cooperation on international and regional platforms, stressing the need for the effective use of multilateral formats. In this context, emphasis was placed on advancing aligned agendas and bringing positions closer on issues of mutual interest, in the interest of both countries and broader regional stability.

At the end of the meeting, the presidents reaffirmed their readiness to continue developing and deepening bilateral relations, elevating them to a qualitatively new level.

The Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES 2026), initiated by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will take place on April 22–24, 2026, in Astana under the theme Shared Vision for a Resilient Future. 

The United Nations is a strategic partner of the summit, which will bring together governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to advance environmental sustainability in Central Asia. Eighteen UN agencies will co-organize 27 sessions and five workshops focused on key thematic areas related to climate action, environmental resilience, and sustainable development, according to organizers. 

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan visited Kazakhstan’s Astana to participate in the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026).

On April 22, as he went up the stage to deliver his speech, the moderator introduced him and surprised him by extending birthday greetings. “Happy birthday! I can’t think of a better crowd to celebrate your very special day with,” the moderator said.

The president, who turned 67, expressed his gratitude, remarking, “Yes, thank you very much. It is an interesting situation—my birthday and the official speech. Thank you very much.”

In his speech, the President said that Armenia is already feeling the impacts of climate change, despite contributing only about 0.02% of global greenhouse gas emissions. He highlighted that the country has committed to cutting emissions by up to 52% by 2035 with international support and will host the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) this October to advance global environmental protection efforts.

Watch the video for the full speech.

The Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES 2026), initiated by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will take place on April 22–24, 2026, in Astana under the theme Shared Vision for a Resilient Future. 

The United Nations is a strategic partner of the summit, which will bring together governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to advance environmental sustainability in Central Asia. Eighteen UN agencies will co-organize 27 sessions and five workshops focused on key thematic areas related to climate action, environmental resilience, and sustainable development, according to organizers. 

President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov during a working visit to Kazakhstan, the Armenian Presidential Office said in a readout.

During the meeting, the sides emphasized the importance of further developing and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation on international platforms, highlighting coordinated and active engagement in multilateral formats.

The presidents reaffirmed their readiness to continue constructive cooperation within international organizations. They noted that, despite positive dynamics, the full potential of bilateral cooperation has not yet been realized. 

In this context, the sides stressed the need for practical steps to enhance economic ties, promote direct business contacts, and identify new investment opportunities.

The meeting also addressed the possibility of introducing direct flights between Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. The presidents noted that such a move could significantly strengthen people-to-people ties, promote tourism, and enhance trade and economic cooperation, creating new opportunities for joint projects.

The sides underscored the importance of exchanging experience in various sectors, particularly agriculture, high technologies, and related industries.

Expanding cooperation in these areas, introducing innovative solutions, and sharing professional expertise could boost economic competitiveness and support sustainable development, they said.

Regional developments were also discussed, with both sides emphasizing the importance of strengthening stability, peace, and mutual trust as key conditions for long-term development, as well as the need for continued constructive dialogue and cooperation.