Yerevan – During his press briefing on October 15, 2026, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed several critical pillars of Armenia’s foreign policy, border management, and long-term regional strategy:
Relations with Russia
- Unchanged Diplomatic Ties: Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia has never had strained relations with Russia.
- Disagreements vs. Strategic Agenda: He noted that even when diplomatic disagreements or differing agendas arise, Armenia’s core relationship with Russia remains steady.
- Military Base Status: He reiterated that he has never raised the issue of withdrawing Russia’s military base from Armenian territory.
- Energy Costs: He stated there are currently no signals of an increase in Russian gas prices for Armenia.
Peace Agreement and Boundaries with Azerbaijan
- Timeline to 2031: Pashinyan stated that the signing and full ratification of a comprehensive peace agreement with Azerbaijan should be achieved by 2031.
- The Enclave-Exclave Formula: Building on detailed territorial visions, he reiterated a framework to resolve the enclave issue: there should be no enclaves or exclaves on either side of the border. Instead, Armenia and Azerbaijan should execute an exchange of territories of corresponding precise sizes.
- Delimitation Sequence: He firmly stressed that precise border delimitation must be fully completed within a legal framework before any practical territorial exchanges take place. This approach aims to protect border village residents and prevent new sources of border tension.
- Mutual Sovereignty: Following ratification, Armenia must retain a precise territory of 29,743 square kilometers, with both nations completely renouncing any mutual territorial claims.
Transit and Transport Communication
- Open Routes: Pashinyan noted that all regional transport and communication routes must be opened.
- Reciprocal Transit Logic: This includes operations utilizing the TRIPP project framework (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity). The logic will allow seamless transit from Armenia to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory, and conversely, from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan through Armenian territory.
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