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.