Author: Elizabeth Jabejian

The Armenian civil society delegation, which held its latest round of the “Peace Bridge” initiative meetings in Azerbaijan, said on Monday that it has repeatedly raised the issue of the remaining Armenian captives and other detainees held in Azerbaijan. 

During a press briefing, Naira Sultanyan, Director of the Democracy Development Foundation, noted that during the initiative’s meetings, members of the Armenian delegation consistently included this issue on the discussion agenda.

“We have spoken about the captives and detainees more than once. Many members of the delegation have included this issue in their remarks,” said Sultanyan.

According to her, the Armenian side emphasized that the issue of captives does not fit within the current logic of the peace process, and that their release would be an important precondition for progress.

“We have stressed that the peace process has moved forward, and these issues must be resolved in order to better ensure the continuation of progress,” she said.

Sultanyan said that the issue of missing persons was also raised during the discussions, emphasizing that the work of the relevant commission is not proceeding at the desired pace.

At the same time, she noted that the Azerbaijani side also raised issues of concern to them, but stressed that the primary goal of the initiative is to create an environment of mutual listening and understanding.

“When you hear the other side’s perceptions, it becomes easier to understand the issue and model realistic solutions,” said Sultanyan.

In her assessment, strengthening trust could help ensure that such humanitarian issues are resolved more effectively in the future and do not become instruments of political pressure.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the declaration signed in Washington on August 8 has opened new opportunities for the development of relations between Armenia and Russia.

Speaking at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pashinyan noted that the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, along with the involvement of international partners, has marked a new stage in the region.

“Last August, when I returned from Washington and called you, I said that what happened there would open new opportunities for our relations as well,” the Prime Minister said.

According to him, that assessment has now become a reality.

Pashinyan also emphasized that several actors, including US President Donald Trump and President Putin, played an important role in these processes.

“We have always been in close contact throughout these developments, and I have regularly informed you about the ongoing situation,” he said.

The Prime Minister added that one tangible outcome of these new opportunities is the restoration of railway communication between Armenia and Russia through the territory of Azerbaijan.

“We have worked on this issue for decades, but had never managed to reach such a decision,” Pashinyan said.

Israel’s parliament on Monday passed a law approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, the Associated Press reported.

According to AP, the measure that has been harshly condemned by the international community and rights groups as discriminatory and inhumane.

The passage of the bill marked the culmination of a yearslong drive by the far-right to escalate punishment for Palestinians convicted of nationalistic offenses against Israelis, AP reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the Knesset to vote for the bill in person.

The law makes the death penalty — by hanging — the default punishment for West Bank Palestinians convicted of nationalistic killings. It also gives Israeli courts the option of imposing the death penalty on Israeli citizens convicted on similar charges — language that legal experts say effectively confines those who can be sentenced to death to Palestinian citizens of Israel and excludes Jewish citizens.

It will not apply retroactively to any prisoners Israel currently holds, including the Hamas-led militants who attacked the country on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. After the final 62-48 vote in favor, lawmakers erupted into cheers and stood up in jubilation. Netanyahu, who remained in his seat, did not immediately react or speak.

Vice Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan stated on Wednesday that the opposition’s policies are certain to trigger war if implemented. 

Speaking at a press briefing, he was asked by reporters to respond to accusations that repeated warnings about the risk of war if the opposition wins the upcoming elections amount to threats.

Rubinyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party, denied making any threats. He said that there is currently no risk of war.

“Let’s define what a threat is. When someone says, ‘If you don’t do this, I will do something that will be bad for you,’ that’s a threat. When we say that the Republic of Armenia, if it adopts the policy proposed by the opposition, will inevitably lead to war, there is no connection to a threat here,” he said.

According to Rubinyan, the likelihood of war at present is zero because the Pashinyan administration and the ruling Civil Contract party are pursuing their current policy.

“If the opposition comes to power and starts implementing the policy it has announced, that will clearly and 100% lead to war,” he added.

The Vice Speaker of the National Assembly also recalled that, in the past, the same authorities were criticized for not highlighting the risks of war.

“Those same people said, ‘Why aren’t you presenting the reality?’ and now they say, ‘Why are you saying it?’” Rubinyan emphasized.

He said that the upcoming elections are not only a choice between political forces but also between the policies they propose.

Rubinyan noted that the Civil Contract party maintains its current stance of preserving peace, while, according to him, the opposition forces are proposing a revision of this policy.

“If the components of the peace agreement, the Washington Declaration, the TRIPP agreement, and the delimitation regulations are revised, that will lead to war,” he stated.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned last week that the country could face an imminent war if opposition forces, whom he described as being controlled from abroad, win the upcoming parliamentary elections. He accused these opposition forces of attempting to revise the recently established peace and making belligerent statements.

In Brussels, Armenia is seen as a democratic partner, and it is important that the Armenian government’s decisions to deepen relations with the European Union are upheld.

Alberto Turkstra, director of the Brussels-based analytical and public relations project “Diplomatic World,” expressed this opinion in an interview with Armenpress, assessing the current level of Armenia–European Union relations and Yerevan’s European prospects.

The Belgian expert noted that Brussels has positively received Yerevan’s policy aimed at deepening relations with the European Union.

“Brussels has received this new direction of Armenia quite positively, in terms of closer rapprochement with the European Union. This is generally in the same logic as what we have seen in the case of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. At the moment, the conditions also seem quite favorable,” the expert emphasized.

He recalled that the European Union also tried to play the role of mediator in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, when European Council President Charles Michel hosted Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels several times.

“These meetings, unfortunately, did not yield the expected results. Ultimately, some progress was made with the involvement of the United States, with the Washington Agreement of August 8, 2025. Nevertheless, I believe that this is an important step towards lasting regional peace after more than 30 years of conflict. This also stems from the interests of the European Union,” Turkstra said.

The expert reiterated that in Brussels, Armenia is regarded as a democratic partner, and promoting democracy remains one of the key directions of the EU’s foreign policy.

“On the other hand, there are also interesting opportunities related to economic and regional ties. For example,  Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace”  project coincides quite well with the European Union’s “Global Gateway” initiative and the development of the so-called Middle Corridor,” he said.

According to the expert, much still needs to be clarified, particularly in terms of investments and specific programs.

He added that, overall, EU–Armenia relations are currently in a rather active phase.

“Contacts are at a high level.  The first summit at the level of Armenia–EU leaders will be held in Yerevan this year. In addition, Armenia will host a meeting of the European Political Community, which is also an important event. It should also be noted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, visits Brussels quite often, which also shows the intensity of relations,” Turkstra said.