Category: News

Armenia played Montenegro to a 0-0 draw in Podgorica in the fourth round of League C, Group 2 of the UEFA Nations League.

Montenegro controlled most of the possession in the first half, while Armenia relied primarily on counterattacks. Neither team was able to convert its chances before halftime.

The two national teams continued to trade attacks after the break, but neither was able to finish its opportunities.

Montenegro was reduced to 10 players late in the match when Lončar was shown a straight red card. Armenia was unable to capitalize on the numerical advantage, however, as the game ended without a goal.

Armenia will host Cyprus in Yerevan in the fifth round on November 12. In the final round on November 15, Armenia will face Latvia.

Armenia national football team head coach Yeghishe Melikyan said he was proud of his players following their 0-0 draw with Montenegro. 

“I am very proud of my guys. Only I know how much the team struggled with injuries in the buildup to this fourth match. We proved a lot. There are players on the national team who came to me before the game with existing injuries and pain and told me they were ready. There was discipline, dedication, and character in this game — everything I initially wanted to see in the national team,” Melikyan said during the post-match press conference.

Armenia played Montenegro to a 0-0 draw in Podgorica in the fourth round of League C, Group 2 of the UEFA Nations League.

Armenia will host Cyprus in Yerevan in the fifth round on November 12. In the final round on November 15, Armenia will face Latvia.

Dr. Hampig Sarafian, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP), has described the Pashinyan administration’s policies as pragmatic and multi-vector.

In an interview with Armenpress, Sarafian addressed a wide range of issues on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda today.

“What the political leadership of Armenia is doing today is an entirely correct, pragmatic policy, which is also multi-vector. We cannot imagine otherwise how the problems can be solved in such a situation and how we can achieve our goals. We view positively the growing interest of the international community in Armenia; we now have the means that were not available before. The international community previously did not show proper economic interest toward Armenia; it is particularly encouraging to see the continued development of relations with the United States and European countries,” Sarafian said.

He said that in the United States, Armenia is equally accepted as a friendly country by both Republicans and Democrats. According to Sarafian, during the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, bilateral relations have changed significantly and favorably.

“Progress in terms of peace in the region, and especially economic opportunities, is significant. Trump’s interest in the Crossroads of Peace initiative is evident, recognizing that peace stems from the interests of the countries of the region and international partner states. Great hopes are certainly associated with TRIPP. It is encouraging that concrete steps have already been taken and the agreements reached in advance have not remained on paper. TRIPP is also a guarantee of [Armenia’s] security,” Sarafian said.

Taking into account the principles on which current international politics is based, Sarafian notes that the greatest security guarantee is that Armenia can develop strategic, mutually beneficial relations with a number of countries.

“First and foremost, we must find common ground with our immediate neighbors, whatever the relations with them may be, while on the other hand pursuing a proactive policy, because only in this way can we make our partners understand that bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation stems from this. Today our homeland is on the rise. There are many problems in Armenia, as in all countries, but our homeland is definitely on the path of progress. We are enthusiastic about Armenia, and we hope that a day will come when there will be a great influx of people, and there will no longer be concerns that Armenians in the Diaspora may assimilate and lose their identity,” Sarafian said.

Armenian Minister of High-Tech Industry and Artificial Intelligence Davit Tadevosyan met with Njdeh Satourian, the product manager at Cerebras, a company operating in the fields of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.

The Ministry said in a readout that the meeting focused on issues related to the development of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and AI infrastructure.

Particular attention was paid to Armenia’s development opportunities in the fields of artificial intelligence and high technologies, as well as prospects for cooperation with international technology companies.

The Minister presented Armenia’s technology ecosystem, government initiatives being implemented in the sector, and existing opportunities for the development of artificial intelligence.

The Cerebras representative presented the company’s technological solutions and international experience in the fields of AI computing and infrastructure.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on potential areas of cooperation and agreed to continue discussions on initiatives of mutual interest.

Chairman of the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia Mesrop Mesropyan chaired a discussion with representatives of the Firebird AI data center and the Electricity System Operator CJSC.

The regulatory body said in a press release that the discussion focused on issues related to “connecting the artificial intelligence data center to the electricity system, ensuring the necessary capacity, and its potential impact on the system.”

During the meeting, the participants presented their observations and proposals, and directions for further discussions and cooperation were outlined.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk met his Azerbaijani counterpart Shahin Mustafayev in Moscow to discuss the development of economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Azerbaijani state news agency Azertac reported that the two deputy prime ministers held a meeting as co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan.

The sides discussed issues of cooperation in the trade and economic and investment sectors, as well as in the fields of industry, energy, agriculture, transport and logistics, according to Azertac.

The sides also discussed the implementation of high-level agreements and decisions adopted at the 24th meeting of the intergovernmental commission.

Further steps to increase mutual trade turnover, expand trade and economic ties, and create favorable conditions for the activities of economic entities of the two countries were discussed.

Particular attention was paid to the development of transport links and increasing the volume of freight transportation, the further use of the North-South International Transport Corridor, as well as improving the operation of border crossing points.

The officials also exchanged views on the prospects for implementing mutually beneficial projects, emphasizing the further development of economic cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the inaugural Armenia-United Kingdom Business Forum in Yerevan.

The Prime Minister delivered a speech and welcomed the participants, emphasizing that holding the forum is logical after the signing of the memorandum on establishing a strategic partnership between Armenia and the United Kingdom in May this year.

“After establishing such a partnership, the primary question that arises for governments is the following: how to turn that political will, which is expressed through adopted documents or a document, into reality. And the most effective way to solve this problem is to make the political content discussed between governments part of everyday life. And such forums serve precisely that purpose—to fill the space opened by governments with real life.”

Speaking about the economy and business, Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that experience shows that people who are not constrained by a certain set of government or other official responsibilities are better able to see opportunities and prospects. In this context, the PM expressed hope that the ideas raised during the forum’s discussions will move into the next stage of development and become concrete agreements.

“Overall, it is obvious that the Republic of Armenia and our region are in a phase of transformation, which is connected with the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the developments stemming from it. We are now working on a daily basis to launch the implementation of the TRIPP project on the ground, which will undoubtedly and unequivocally be a cornerstone in changing not only the economic environment of the Republic of Armenia, but also that of the entire region. It already is, because even today we are feeling a certain increase in investment attractiveness around Armenia, and it is clear that this project, in turn, will bring new projects, and investment gravity will strengthen around Armenia and our region,” the Prime Minister said, adding that in the near future, alongside developments in the TRIPP project, the Armenia-Türkiye border is expected to open, and accordingly, railway connections between Armenia and Azerbaijan and between Armenia and Türkiye are also expected to open.

Pashinyan also referred to establishing a railway connection between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea, implementing the North-South Road project, and opening east-west roads along the same route parallel to the railway. “What I am describing is precisely what the Government of the Republic of Armenia has approved within the framework of the Crossroads of Peace project. Alongside all these communications, possibilities for constructing oil and gas pipelines are already being considered and discussed, and we are also holding concrete discussions on electricity transmission lines.”

According to Pashinyan, all this means that Armenia and the United Kingdom are becoming closer to each other in terms of transportation, and this is the right time to discuss what opportunities exist that can be utilized. Nikol Pashinyan noted that any economic development brings new economic development with it. “The most successful are those countries whose economic growth is continuous and consistent. Over the previous five years, we had planned to ensure average economic growth of 7% in the Republic of Armenia, and in fact we achieved average economic growth of 7.9%. In other words, each 7.9% has already been added to the previous year’s 7.9%. Overall, in 2025, the gross domestic product of the Republic of Armenia increased by around 53% compared to 2018, also taking into account the global downturn during the COVID years. Over the next five years, we have planned to ensure average annual economic growth of 6%. We also have a number of strategic directions. I mentioned one of those strategic directions—the opening of regional communications—but I also want to draw attention to the developments taking place in Armenia in the renewable energy sector. In particular, over the next five years, we plan not only to maintain the pace of renewable energy development, but also to make renewable energy institutionally more reliable for our economy and state,” the PM said.

The Prime Minister noted that the Crossroads of Peace is the Government of the Republic of Armenia’s strategic vision for the country.

In the context of growing business interest in Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the importance of increasing tourist flows to Armenia.

According to Nikol Pashinyan, enormous developments have also been recorded in the field of artificial intelligence over the past year.

Concluding his speech, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the results of the forum will be reflected in the economy in the near future and create opportunities to celebrate these successes.

The Armenia-United Kingdom Business Forum 2026 is organized by the Oxford Alumni Business Club of Armenia (OABCA), in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Armenia, Enterprise Armenia and the British-Armenian Chamber of Commerce. The forum brings together around 2,000 participants, including representatives of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the Central Bank, international financial and development institutions, the British diplomatic mission, leading companies, and educational and scientific institutions. The forum discusses access to capital, attracting investment and opportunities to enter new markets. Particular attention is paid to practical mechanisms for investment and international financing in Armenia.

Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov has held a meeting with Aryeh Lightstone, Senior Adviser to the US Special Envoy for Peace Missions.

The Azerbaijani APA news agency, citing a ministry readout, reported that during the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the current state and development prospects of Azerbaijan-US bilateral relations, as well as regional issues.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov “noted the importance of the historic Summit held in Washington on August 8, 2025, in elevating Azerbaijan-US relations to the level of strategic partnership. Satisfaction was expressed with the rapid development of bilateral ties in various areas following the agreements reached in Washington,” according to the report.

In this context, the importance of the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States of America, signed on February 10, 2026, was emphasized in terms of “further strengthening the institutional foundations of bilateral relations and identifying new areas of cooperation.”

The activities of the working groups established as part of the implementation of the Charter and the work carried out to identify concrete projects and roadmaps for the coming period were reviewed.

The sides also discussed the expansion of Azerbaijan-US economic and energy cooperation. In this context, it was noted that the agreements reached in the fields of energy, investment, high technologies and other areas within the framework of Baku Energy Week and the 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum “contribute to strengthening the economic foundations of the bilateral strategic partnership.”

According to APA, information was provided on infrastructure projects implemented by Azerbaijan to “develop the region’s energy, transport and logistics potential, expand the Middle Corridor, promote investment and strengthen regional connectivity.”

It was emphasized that the TRIPP project “would make an important contribution to the development of transport and economic connectivity in the region, ensuring unimpeded connectivity through Azerbaijani territory to its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and creating broader regional transit opportunities,” according to the report.

The meeting also included an exchange of views on the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov “informed the other side about the steps taken by Azerbaijan to advance the peace agenda, implement the agreements reached, open regional communications and strengthen lasting peace and stability in the region, and conveyed Azerbaijan’s position.”

The sides emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to further develop the Azerbaijan-US strategic partnership in all areas of mutual interest and to enrich the agreements reached with practical results.

The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a connectivity project in Armenia, envisaged under the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani joint declaration signed in Washington, D.C. The project is expected to unlock strategic economic opportunities, create long-term benefits by promoting infrastructure investment, and enhance regional connectivity. TRIPP is part of the Crossroads of Peace project, and an Armenian-American joint enterprise is expected to develop the route. Armenia will retain full sovereignty and jurisdiction over its territory where the TRIPP infrastructure will be developed.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting with France’s newly appointed Ambassador to Armenia Florian Escudié.

PM Pashinyan congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office and wished him effective work, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout.

PM Pashinyan emphasized the importance of the continued development and expansion of the strategic relations between Armenia and France.

Ambassador Florian Escudié thanked the Prime Minister for the warm welcome and noted that he would make every effort to consistently strengthen multifaceted cooperation between Armenia and France.

The Prime Minister and the French Ambassador discussed issues related to bilateral ties, as well as ongoing programs and upcoming projects. In particular, they exchanged views on the development of economic relations, joint programs in infrastructure and water resource management, as well as in other areas.

They also addressed the progress of Armenia-European Union cooperation, as well as other topics of regional significance.

Armenia’s Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan, a senior member of the Civil Contract party, has described the October 1 incident in Shaki, Syunik Province, involving an Azerbaijani serviceman who entered a civilian home and opened fire, as a crime, while highlighting Azerbaijan’s communication with Armenia after the serviceman was reported missing before the shooting.

Rubinyan made the remarks at the October 6 session of Parliament, responding to a question from Marianna Ghahramanyan, an opposition MP from the Strong Armenia faction.

The MP asked whether the Parliament Speaker, as a representative of the political force that is “nurturing the peace process,” intends to express a clear political position on the incident that took place in the Shaki settlement.

Ghahramanyan stressed that the issue was not only about illegally crossing the border: the armed Azerbaijani serviceman entered the home of an Armenian citizen and opened fire on a woman, while the children were also injured. The MP described the incident as an action that undermines the peace process.

In response, Rubinyan said that what happened was a crime:

“Of course, what happened is a crime. I mean, if a person enters someone’s home and opens fire, that is a crime. Did you notice that charges have been brought and that he has been detained? Did you notice that?”

The Parliament Speaker also emphasized that the serviceman had apparently violated not only Armenian law but also Azerbaijani law by deserting his place of service.

Responding to the answer, Ghahramanyan clarified that she expected a political, rather than a criminal-legal, assessment. She repeated her question, stressing the impact of such incidents on the peace process.

“The political assessment is the following: a crime has been committed by an Azerbaijani serviceman who illegally crossed Armenia’s border. Now, is it bad that a crime has occurred? Of course, it is very bad. Does this mean that this can be perceived negatively, including from the perspective of peace? The answer is yes. Is it good that the Azerbaijani side, as soon as it saw that its serviceman was missing and assumed that he might have entered Armenia, informed the Armenian side? Yes, it is very good. If there were no peace, that would not have happened,” Rubinyan replied.

He also referred to similar incidents that had occurred in the past, emphasizing the difference between this incident and previous cases.

“I’ll say more: before this incident, there had been many cases when a serviceman from our side ended up on their side, and a serviceman from their side ended up on our side, and, thank God, without any incidents. They informed each other and returned them. I’m not saying this in the context of the incident, I’m not saying that, because a crime has occurred,” the Parliament Speaker said.

Armenia’s National Security Service said last Thursday that it had been notified by Azerbaijani authorities earlier, on September 29, that an Azerbaijani serviceman had allegedly gone AWOL and was missing. The Azerbaijani side did not rule out that he could have crossed into Armenia. Armenia and Azerbaijan conducted a search operation. Later, on October 1, Armenian emergency services received a report that an Armenian citizen, a 39-year-old woman, had been shot in the leg at her home in the Shaki settlement in Syunik Province. Authorities determined that the Azerbaijani serviceman was the shooter, and he was apprehended shortly afterward in Shaki and detained.

Meanwhile, health authorities said earlier last week that the woman is in non-life-threatening condition and is receiving the required treatment. She was transferred to Yerevan after being initially hospitalized in Sisian. The Sisian Medical Center reported that the injured Armenian citizen’s children, who were with their mother during the incident, aged 15 and 12, had sought medical assistance for bodily injuries. The 12-year-old child had a soft-tissue contusion, while the 15-year-old child had a fracture of the right wrist. Health authorities said Friday that the children are in satisfactory condition.

The Azerbaijani serviceman faces charges of illegally crossing Armenia’s state border, smuggling military-use products, firearms and ammunition, illegally trafficking in firearms and ammunition, illegally entering another person’s residence against their will, and causing grievous bodily harm under aggravating circumstances, including with a firearm.