Voters casting ballots in Armenia’s Parliamentary Elections on Jun. 7

The European Union was quick to welcome the results of Sunday’s Parliamentary Elections in Armenia, with bloc leaders congratulating Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and pledging more support to Armenia. Russia, on the other hand, said that it would wait for the final official results before commenting on the vote.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday congratulated Pashinyan and touted the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity—TRIPP.

“Congratulations to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his party’s reelection,” Rubio said in post on X.

“The United States stands with Prime Minister Pashinyan and Armenia in the pursuit of peace, and we are committed to advancing the goals of the historic Washington Peace Summit, including implementation of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP). We look forward to working together to deliver peace, stability, and prosperity to the South Caucasus and beyond,” he added.

EU leaders were joined by President Emmanuel Macron of France and other European leaders in welcoming Sunday’s vote, which saw Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party garner 49.9 percent of votes. The EU poured significant resources into the Armenian elections, which he said were being marred by threats from Russia.

“The people of Armenia have voted for a future built on peace, stability and stronger cooperation with their neighbors and the world,” EU Council President Antonio Costa said in a congratulatory message also posted on X.

“You can be proud of your role in strengthening Armenia’s resilience, stability and prosperity,” he wrote to Pashinian.

“We deeply value our partnership with a democratic Armenia that is drawing ever closer to Europe,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said for her part. “Armenia can count on us.”

Von der Leyen and Costa met with Pashinyan in Yerevan on May 5 for what was billed as the first EU-Armenia summit. It came the day after a European Political Community summit also held in the Armenian capital.

“My warmest congratulations, dear Nikol Pashinyan, on this resounding victory in the parliamentary elections,” Macron said in a post on X.

“I look forward to continuing our work together to further strengthen our cooperation for the benefit of our peoples, support Armenia’s peace and sovereignty, and foster closer ties with Europe,” the French leader added.

On the margins of the European Political Community summit, Macron also paid an official visit to Armenia, during which he endorsed Pashinyan’s candidacy, saying that the prime minister advanced the interests of France and the EU.

These events widened and deepened the ongoing row between Yerevan and Moscow, which condemned the Armenian government for not countering Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who attended the summit and made anti-Russian statements.

Zelenskyy was another world leader to welcome the results of Sunday’s elections.

“I congratulate Armenia on holding democratic and free elections, and Nikol Pashinyan on his victory. This is also a victory for Armenia’s sovereignty, your independence, and your right to live the way you choose. We wish you success,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

“Ukraine is ready to expand our cooperation, and now is precisely the time for the European Union to provide real support to Armenia and do everything necessary to ensure that people feel their lives are better thanks to their relationship with Europe. This is a test for the European Union. It is important not to lose time or miss opportunities,” the Ukraine leader added.

In the days before the elections, and angered by Yerevan’s pro-Western tilt, Moscow had stepped up its criticism of Yerevan calling on the Pashinyan government to make a succinct choice between Armenia’s aspirations to join the EU or remain in the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. Moscow also placed trade bans on certain agricultural imports from Armenia, prompting the EU to pledge more economic aid to Armenia.

Moscow’s reaction to Sunday’s elections was to highlight a decline in support for Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party, with President Vladmir Putin of Russia refraining from commenting on the preliminary election results published on Monday by Armenia’s Central Election Commission.

“We are waiting for the final results,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday, adding that Moscow was taking note “numerous irregularities” reported during voting.

The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the “unprecedented pressure on the opposition and interference from the West, primarily the European Union.”

“The entire election campaign and the voting process itself took place amid harsh repression by the Armenian authorities against opposition parties and movements, their activists and supporters,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Monday.

“The Armenian Apostolic Church, traditionally deeply revered in the country, also came under attack. All of this constitutes a flagrant violation by Yerevan of democratic principles and procedures for holding free elections,” Zakharova added.

She also said that Pashinyan’s party did not gain a “monopoly on power,” apparently referring to the preliminary results, which suggested that the Civil Contract party did not lock in a two-thirds majority it needed to move key legislation, including the amendment of Armenia’s Constitution.

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