Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan held a meeting with U.S. Congressman Abe Hamadeh.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current agenda of Armenia–U.S. relations and addressed prospects for further deepening bilateral ties, emphasizing the importance of advancing cooperation based on ensuring regional peace and stability, the embassy said in a readout.

Ambassador Mkrtchyan and Congressman Hamadeh reaffirmed their commitment to continued dialogue and to strengthening cooperation.

Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, during his visit to Greece for the Delphi Economic Forum, held a meeting with Stanislav Secrieru, National Security Advisor to the President of Moldova.

“I discussed with my interlocutor issues covering the Armenia–Moldova bilateral agenda and outlined potential avenues for further cooperation. The meeting also touched on the regional security situation,” Grigoryan said on social media.

The Delphi Economic Forum 2026 is taking place in the Greek town of Delphi.

Grigoryan’s office earlier said that during the forum, he will join Thanos Dokos, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Greece; Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan; and Stanislav Secrieru, National Security Advisor to the President of Moldova, for a panel discussion titled “Strategic Fault Lines: Managing Conflicts and Building Resilience in Europe’s Eastern Neighborhood.”

The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 22 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.21 drams to 372.38 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.65 drams to 437.55 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.0094 drams to 4.9558 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.03 drams to 503.38 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 473 drams to 57189 drams. Silver price down by 4.13 drams to 945.87 drams.

Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, Armen Grigoryan, met with former President of Turkey Abdullah Gül in Greece, he said in a social media post.

Grigoryan noted that the meeting took place on the sidelines of the Delphi Economic Forum.

“During the meeting, we exchanged views on issues of mutual interest,” Grigoryan said, sharing a photo from the meeting.

Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council Armen Grigoryan said Yerevan is now focused on institutionalizing the peace established with Azerbaijan.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the Delphi Economic Forum in Greece, Grigoryan referred to the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, particularly the declaration signed in Washington on August 8, 2025.

He stressed that Armenia remains committed to peace, noting that while peace does not eliminate challenges, it allows countries to better address them.

“Given the developments in our region, including the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan following the 2025 Washington summit, we are now focused on institutionalizing that peace,” Grigoryan said.

According to him, while “there is real peace now,” ensuring its long-term sustainability requires concrete steps.

“By institutionalizing, we mean signing and ratifying a peace treaty, as well as unblocking regional connections,” he noted.

Grigoryan also highlighted the growing global emphasis on interconnectedness, stressing the importance of advancing it in the South Caucasus.

Describing the current situation, he said peace in the region “is like a newborn baby that needs care,” emphasizing the need for caution and consistent efforts to advance and solidify the peace process.

Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan stated that the 2025 Washington peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has increased Armenia’s ability to withstand challenges and negative impacts stemming from the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Grigoryan expressed this view during a panel discussion at the Delphi Economic Forum held in Greece, referring to developments in the Middle East, particularly around Iran, and their impact on Armenia.

“We saw the imminent war (ed.: between the US, Israel and Iran). We observed not only publicly available information, but also details reflected in other reports. I wouldn’t say it was obvious, but the course of events was leading toward war,” Grigoryan said.

The Secretary of the Security Council emphasized that the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have a negative impact on the South Caucasus, adding that Armenia has actively worked to establish peace.

According to Grigoryan, it was precisely to minimize these negative effects that Armenia moved toward the initialing of a peace agreement with Azerbaijan and, more broadly, toward peace.

“Thanks to this active work and progress toward peace, we reached the Washington Declaration and initialed the peace agreement with Azerbaijan, which has brought real peace to our region. This has also increased our ability to confront challenges stemming from the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East,” he said.

Grigoryan also noted that Armenia, like the rest of the world, is feeling the impact of disruptions related to the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the government is working to mitigate these effects.

He highlighted that economic cooperation with Azerbaijan has influenced the situation, including the import of oil products to Armenia, which initially led to a decrease in fuel prices.

“However, due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices have increased again, reaching levels recorded in October last year, he said, noting that the overall impact has been minimized as much as possible.”

Grigoryan added that Armenia’s agricultural sector has also been affected, forcing the government to subsidize farmers.

The second session of the Public Council under Armenia’s Foreign Minister was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan presented developments since the previous meeting in February, outlining efforts to promote Armenia’s interests internationally and to develop partnerships in line with a balanced foreign policy, the foreign ministry said in a press release.

The meeting addressed the process of normalizing relations with neighboring countries, as well as efforts to further institutionalize the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process, related challenges, and current approaches to addressing them. The minister also presented initiatives aimed at unblocking and expanding regional communications.

Participants discussed the situation in the Middle East and exchanged views on strengthening strategic partnerships. In the context of the dynamically developing Armenia–EU partnership, upcoming high-level events to be held in Yerevan in May were also highlighted.

The importance of active dialogue between the state and civil society, along with cooperation with like-minded international partners, was emphasized in overcoming challenges to democratic development.

During the question-and-answer session, Mirzoyan responded to participants’ questions.

Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler Suren Aghajanyan won a silver medal in the 60 kg category at the European Championship in Tirana, Albania.

In the final, Aghajanyan competed against Serbia’s Georgij Tibilov. The match ended in a 2:2 draw, with Tibilov declared the winner on the criteria.

Earlier in the tournament, Malkhas Amoyan secured gold, while Karen Aslanyan earned bronze for Armenia.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Uruguay, Mariam Gevorgyan, met with the President of the Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay, Rodrigo Goñi, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Uruguay said, presenting details of the meeting.

The interlocutors emphasized the high-level relations established between the two countries, based on a trustworthy partnership, and highlighted the role of parliamentary diplomacy in further strengthening bilateral cooperation. The Ambassador briefed the interlocutor on the latest regional developments.

Authorities in Istanbul have again this year banned an Armenian Genocide commemorative event which the local sizeable Armenian community sought to organize on April 24, the remembrance day observed annually around the world.

According to the Istanbul-based Agos newspaper, the organizers – the April 24 Remembrance Platform – had requested permission from the Istanbul governorate to hold a commemorative rally on April 24 at 19:00 in Kadıköy, outside the Süreyya Opera House. The request has been denied, according to Agos.

According to Agos, the organizers said in a statement that similar applications have also been rejected in recent years, whereas before the COVID-19 pandemic, commemoration events were regularly held in various cities, especially in Istanbul.

The organizers stated that holding remembrance events is a democratic right and called for the decision to be reconsidered.

They also emphasized that such gatherings are intended to pay tribute to the memory of those killed in the Armenian Genocide, as well as to contribute to “public remembrance and the process of confronting the past.”