In a few days, the nature of the 8th European Political Community Summit in Yerevan may change qualitatively if the President of Ukraine Vl. Zelensky.

In Nikol Pashinyan’s plans, this was certainly the key event of his pre-election campaign. That’s how it was planned, that’s how it was negotiated, that’s how it’s planned.

After the unexpected visit to Azerbaijan on April 25, there is a high probability that Zelensky will also come to Yerevan. And that significantly changes the profound and PR content of the Yerevan event. No matter how strange it may seem, Pashinyan personally suffers the most from Zelensky’s possible visit to this event.

Zelensky in Yerevan means that he becomes the main actor with his image, his war, his objective state of being more interesting to Europe.

Zelensky in Yerevan means turning Armenia into the epicenter of anti-Russian sentiment for a few days.

Zelensky in Yerevan means to cause undisguised irritation with his statements in at least three neighboring states (Iran, Georgia, even Turkey).

If, however, within the framework of the 8th European Political Community Summit, Zelensky arrives in Yerevan and participates in the work, the atmosphere around Armenia and in Armenia will change. Russia’s reaction will not be late. Russia is in a direct war with Ukraine, and in the event of anti-Russian manifestations (especially in the case of calls for the creation of new anti-Russian platforms) it will take certain countermeasures. Armenian voters will also feel it.

European leaders are deeply indifferent to the possible consequences for Armenia, we have seen it with our own eyes in the last 5-6 years, Zelensky is unlikely to miss the opportunity to PR in front of the European Community, and the European elite will gladly make anti-Russian demonstrations in Yerevan. What will Armenia gain from all this: new problems. The paradox is that in the case of such a “rasklad”, when the main actor is changed, Pashinyan does not benefit either.

They will go to their countries after beautiful, sharp speeches to deal with their most serious internal problems. We will get a new reality with a high potential for tension, and therefore also certain changes in internal moods.
 
Vahe Hovhannisyan
Alternative projects group

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