March: 19, 2026
Nikol Pashinyan represents the “War Party” in Armenia. About this 168 TVof Revue announced on the air of the program Christine Vardanyan, member of the National Assembly “Armenia” faction, member of the Supreme Body of the ARF Armeniaresponding to Nikol Pashinyan’s accusations against the opposition.
“Nikol Pashinyan is the leader, during the years of his rule, the most wars and attacks have been recorded, and if Pashinyan has been saying for days and hours when there will be an attack on Armenia or when there will be a war, I can’t help myself and ask if they have already agreed with Azerbaijan, has Pashinyan agreed with Aliyev, when Aliyev will attack Armenia?” What does it mean to say with a date that there will be an attack on Armenia or there will be a war against Armenia? And maybe there is no war, and Pashinyan is just constantly threatening the Armenian society with war,” answered the deputy.
Vardanyan notes that Azerbaijan no longer threatens Armenia with war in the recent period, but Nikol Pashinyan does so.
“Now, is it normal for the leadership of any country to constantly threaten its own people with war?” There was no leader in Armenia who provoked a war, brought a war. If Pashinyan pursued such a policy and this is a self-confessed testimony, we can very well accept it as a self-confessed testimony, but there is no one else but him who instigated the war.
If he is talking about us, for example, Dashnaktsutyun, the Second President, then the years of their power were the most peaceful years, and no war was recorded during that period. How can a person, during whose reign there were the most wars and attacks, talk about wars and attacks? Can it not happen if he is not in power? Threatening one’s own society with war, more than Aliyev, is a crime against one’s own society,” added the coalition deputy.
Kristine Vardanyan sees high risks arising from the ongoing war against Iran and the situation in the region, threatening Armenia, and notes that the Iran-Israeli-American war is already having a direct impact on Armenia. Meanwhile, Nikol Pashinyan and the officials of the power structures subordinate to him, as the representative of the “Armenia” bloc comments, have left Armenia’s security risks and problems behind and are busy with the pre-election campaign.
The opposition MP also referred to the never-ending topic of foreign interference and “hybrid threats” in the NA elections and, in particular, the fact that Pashinyan and his teammates only speak in hints and are trying to point the arrows in the direction of Russia, as well as the statement of the head of EU diplomacy Kaya Kalas that they will send a “hybrid rapid reaction group” to Armenia to help counter foreign interference before the elections.
Christine Vardanyan appreciates this mission of the European Union to directly interfere in the internal affairs of Armenia, but also makes a “constructive” proposal to Mrs. Kalas.
“Will the authorities of Armenia directly and publicly declare where the “hybrid threats” are coming from, instead of going, whispering in their ears, coming back here, going to Moscow, and saying, “No, we don’t mean you?”
Will it be announced directly so that it is clear to everyone where these “hybrid threats” come from? They talk about sovereignty every day. After all, if they have determined that there is a “hybrid threat” from any capital, power center, why don’t they talk about it directly?
What is the meaning of that statement by the National Security Service, which describes in detail that they discovered a scheme involving the power structures of a certain country, and does not say from which country? Are they afraid? What is this government that is afraid to say the word “Russia”?
What kind of sovereignty is that? Is it sovereignty or not? If they discovered it from Russia, why don’t they say that word? Is that a word to be afraid of, or are they leaving room for games?”
On March 16, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, the representative of the Supreme Body of the ARF, announced during the presentation of the “Armenia” alliance that the second president of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation have decided to continue cooperation. Ishkhan Saghatelyan noted that despite the attacks, political persecutions and unprecedented pressures, the “Armenia” bloc not only remained viable, but today it presents itself with a renewed and expanded composition. During the presentation, it was announced that Robert Kocharyan is the candidate for the Prime Minister of Armenia of the “Armenia” bloc in the National Assembly elections to be held on June 7. The second president stated in his speech that they are determined and their goal is victory in the elections.
Today, on March 19, Nikol Pashinyan, in a briefing with journalists after the regular session of the Government, once again called the opposition forces “the party of war”, declaring that “the forces acting from the positions of peace revision are preparing for a new September war with serious consequences”.
Nikol Pashinyan made a similar statement last week, on March 11, from the podium of the European Parliament speech in the process, saying that “some clerics who cynically violated all the rules of spiritual conduct took over the leadership of the war party in Armenia, gathering around them the former leaders, some of the forces connected with them, some Russian-resident and pro-Belarusian oligarchs, and are trying to sacrifice Armenia’s independence to the interests of third countries.”
Full interview in the video.
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RFE/RL – EU Official Highlights Growing Importance Of South Caucasus Trade Rou
A visiting European Union official said in Yerevan on March 19 that trade routes through the South Caucasus are becoming “more important than ever” amid wars raging “to the north and south.”
Speaking at a joint press conference with Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigorian, European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that during their meeting they “looked at where we can improve infrastructure to reduce transportation time and costs between Europe and Asia.” She noted that trade along this route has quadrupled since 2022.
Kos arrived in Armenia for a two-day visit aimed at reinforcing cooperation between the European Union and Armenia and advancing regional connectivity, according to her office.
She said the EU-Armenia partnership extends beyond trade and economics. “I also see this as a contribution to peace,” Kos said, highlighting efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to establish peace and stability in the region. “And I want to commend these efforts,” she added. Kos emphasized that opening border crossing points and building bridges and roads can help connect people and reduce the risk of conflict.
Kos also pointed to what she described as increased global instability since her previous visit to Armenia six months ago, stressing the importance of partnerships in the South Caucasus. She added that Brussels views Armenia as a “reliable partner and friend.”
Armenia is set to host the European Political Community summit in May, followed by the first-ever EU-Armenia summit. “This shows how important this region has become for Europe and how much our partnership has deepened,” Kos said.
She also said a document signed with Armenia’s deputy prime minister would provide an additional €140 million (about $160 million) in support for Armenia.
During her visit to Yerevan, Kos also met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
According to the Armenian prime minister’s press service, Pashinian reaffirmed the Armenian government’s commitment to continuing democratic reforms, strengthening the rule of law, and developing institutional capacities.
Kos said the EU appreciates Armenia’s reform efforts and political will, adding that the 27-nation bloc will continue to support the country’s reform agenda, civil society, and media.
The talks also reportedly covered progress in EU-Armenia cooperation, opportunities to expand economic and investment programs, and issues related to visa liberalization. Regional developments and steps toward establishing peace were also discussed, with Kos expressing the EU’s full support for the Armenian government’s efforts towards peace, Pashinian’s press service said.
Both sides reportedly emphasized the importance of maintaining high-level dialogue and consistent joint efforts to deepen cooperation.
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Opposition Party Sees No Current Opportunity To Pursue Karabakh Independence
- Astghik Bedevian
Armenia’s opposition “Strong Armenia” party currently sees no conditions that would allow it to pursue independence for Nagorno-Karabakh, even if it wins upcoming parliamentary elections.
Narek Karapetian, a senior figure in the party led by Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Wednesday that the current situation “does not offer such opportunities.”
Instead, he said, the party’s immediate priorities are focused on addressing the needs of people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, particularly housing.
“We will present to our society what problem we see at the moment and what solutions we see,” Karapetian said. “The primary thing we see is the issue of providing housing for our compatriots in Armenia… People who have fought for Armenia for so many years today face a problem with housing.”
On the question of the return of ethnic Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh, Karapetian stressed that security guarantees are essential. He noted that none of the Armenians who remained in the region after its capture by Azerbaijan a few years ago are still there.
“If they [Azerbaijan] could not find common ground with just a dozen Armenians there, we do not see guarantees that our other compatriots would be safe there,” Karapetian said. “The right to return to the homeland is a fundamental international right, which we are going to pursue. But guarantees are also important.”
Karapetian declined to comment on how the party would handle an initialed peace agreement with Azerbaijan or the implementation of TRIPP, a regional connectivity project backed by the United States, saying those issues would be addressed in the coming months.
The party’s security platform contrasts with that of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government. Unlike the government, which has reduced the military budget this year, “Strong Armenia” has pledged to increase defense spending. It has also promised to secure the return of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan and to establish “reliable air defense systems.”
Pashinian and his party condition national security primarily on the international legitimacy of borders in addition to military strength and present themselves as the only political force in Armenia capable of achieving lasting peace with Azerbaijan following more than three decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
After Azerbaijan’s 2023 military takeover of the region, which led to the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to Armenia, the Armenian government has taken a cautious approach to advocating for their return. Pashinian has also warned that Baku’s demands for the return of ethnic Azerbaijanis who left Armenia at the start of the conflict in the late 1980s could pose risks to the fragile peace process.
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U.S. Still Sees ‘Hurdles’ To Final Peace Deal Between Yerevan, Baku
- Karlen Aslanian
Washington still sees hurdles to the final conclusion of a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to the latest report from the U.S. Intelligence Community.
In its Annual Threat Assessment report released by the Office of the Director of U.S. National Intelligence on March 18, the U.S. Intelligence Community, in particular, cites Azerbaijan’s demand that Armenia change its constitution.
“[Azerbaijani] President [Ilham] Aliyev continues to insist that Armenia change its constitution to remove a reference that he characterizes as claiming Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Armenia, a step which would require Armenia to hold a constitutional referendum whose passage is not guaranteed,” the report says.
At the same time, the report notes that the U.S.-sponsored Peace Summit that was held between Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8, 2025 “has created an opportunity for the two countries to establish a lasting peace deal and contributed to increasing regional stability.”
The U.S. Intelligence Community, in particular, notes that “the results of the Peace Summit included a provisional agreement on the terms of a peace treaty and plans to establish the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), managed by the U.S., that will connect Azerbaijan to its exclave of Naxcivan across southern Armenia, unlocking trade flows for both nations and the region.”
In Washington’s assessment, these developments represent “a significant change in direction for Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.” The report recalls that “in 2020 and 2023, Azerbaijan militarily retook control of its Nagorno-Karabakh region from an ethnic Armenian population supported by Yerevan.”
“Since August 8, both sides have appeared willing to maintain the momentum from the Peace Summit. Border ceasefire violations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have plummeted and now are almost nonexistent,” the report states, noting Azerbaijan’s shipments of gasoline and permitted transshipments of wheat to Armenia. “In October 2025, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that Azerbaijan had lifted restrictions on cargo transit through Azerbaijan to Armenia, a move that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reciprocated within days,” it adds.
In public remarks since the Washington summit the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have repeatedly stated that the military conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has ended and that both countries are currently working toward a lasting peace.
Pashinian has recently reaffirmed his government’s readiness to remove from the constitution a reference to the 1990 Declaration of Independence, which cites a 1989 unification act between Soviet Armenia and the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. He said that the declaration is “built on the logic of conflict,” which Armenia cannot follow “if we want to build an independent state.”
Pashinian also said that the new constitution would be put to a referendum after parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, in which his ruling party will seek to retain its constitutional majority.
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RFE/RL – Pashinian Warns Of ‘Imminent’ War If Opposition Wins June Elections
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian warned on Thursday that Armenia will face imminent war if opposition forces come to power as a result of the country’s parliamentary elections on June 7.
Speaking at a press briefing in Yerevan following a weekly cabinet session, Pashinian accused his political opponents, without naming specific groups, of planning to revise the current peace with Azerbaijan if they win the vote.
“I want to say this very directly, without any pretense, that [if they do so] it will be a war with the loss of not only territory but also sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia,” he said.
Pashinian argued that some opposition figures campaigning ahead of the elections “probably don’t even understand what they are saying,” suggesting that their statements are influenced by external sources.
“All these forces are advocating a revision of peace, which means inevitable war very soon after the elections, in autumn the latest…. They are preparing a new September war with grave consequences,” he said.
The prime minister implicitly drew parallels with the 2020 and 2023 wars in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as deadly clashes along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in 2022, all of which took place in September. Those hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh resulted in the defeat of Armenian forces by Azerbaijan, the subsequent loss of control over the region, and the exodus of its Armenian population. In 2022, Azerbaijan advanced into Armenia and, according to Yerevan, continues to occupy more than 200 square kilometers of sovereign Armenian territory.
Speaking of Azerbaijan’s military takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, Pashinian recalled that it followed a change of government in the region that was welcomed by Armenia’s opposition at the time.
“Everything ended for Karabakh within days. Now the same forces want to do the same with the Republic of Armenia as a result of parliamentary elections. There is no difference whatsoever in their intentions,” Pashinian said.
Pashinian stated that his ruling Civil Contract party will seek a constitutional majority in the elections in order to make “regional peace irreversible.”
In this context, he reiterated his position that Armenia should remove from its constitution a reference to the 1990 Declaration of Independence, which cites a 1989 act on the unification of Soviet Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. He said that the declaration is “not about independence, but about conflict,” arguing that its removal from the constitution is part of Armenia’s own agenda.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that Baku will not sign a peace treaty with Armenia, initialed last August, unless the reference is removed from Armenia’s constitution. Under Armenian law, such a change would require the adoption of a new constitution through a national referendum.
Opposition groups have criticized Pashinian’s stance, arguing that removing the reference to the Declaration of Independence from the constitution would amount to a unilateral concession to Azerbaijan and could lead to further demands without ensuring lasting peace.
They have also accused the prime minister of invoking the threat of war to bolster his political position, noting that Armenia has experienced several deadly conflicts during his time in office.
During the press briefing, Pashinian challenged his rivals, including Samvel Karapetian, the leader of the newly established Strong Armenia party, to go live on the internet and demonstrate his arguments publicly.
He appeared to gloat over the fact that, so far, Karapetian has been addressing his supporters through AI-generated videos.
Karapetian, a Russian-Armenian businessman, is currently under house arrest as part of an ongoing investigation into his remarks in support of the Armenian Apostolic Church that prosecutors have described as a “call for a violent overthrow of the government.” He rejects the accusations, as well as charges of tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering leveled against him, calling them politically motivated.
Pashinian said that Armenia’s Probation Service has officially confirmed that there are no restrictions preventing Karapetian from going live online.
“Let him go live online and say what he wants to say. When they bring up the issue of ‘strong’ and ‘weak,’ we need to understand what it is that makes them ‘strong’ and makes us ‘weak,’” the prime minister said, casting doubt on his critic’s ability to make a “coherent argument.”
“If these oligarchs can do 30 pull-ups, let them do it live on air. I can’t do 30 pull-ups, but I can ride a bicycle for 100 kilometers. What else are they good at? Intellect? Let them demonstrate their intellectual capacity and their vocabulary live on air,” Pashinian added.
Through its spokesperson, Karapetian’s Strong Armenia party responded to Pashinian’s remarks, attributing them to his “state of panic” and citing opinion polls that, the party claimed, show “he will leave office in two months.”
A spokeswoman for businessman Gagik Tsarukian, another likely contender in the upcoming elections, also dismissed Pashinian’s challenge, noting that “the former world arm-wrestling champion who keeps fit… won’t engage in competition with anyone.”
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There are still hurdles to a final peace agreement between Yerevan and Baku: U
There are still hurdles to a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the U.S. Intelligence Community notes.
In its Annual Threat Assessment report released by the Office of the Director of U.S. National Intelligence on March 18, the U.S. Intelligence Community, in particular, cites Azerbaijan’s demand that Armenia change its constitution. This is reported by Azatutyun.am.
“[Azerbaijani] President [Ilham] Aliyev continues to insist that Armenia change its constitution to remove a reference that he characterizes as claiming Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Armenia, a step which would require Armenia to hold a constitutional referendum whose passage is not guaranteed,” the report says.
At the same time, the report notes that the U.S.-sponsored Peace Summit that was held between Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8, 2025 “has created an opportunity for the two countries to establish a lasting peace deal and contributed to increasing regional stability.”
More details are available on the source website.
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The Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict: Nikol Pashinyan
The issue of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is Armenia’s internal matter, Nikol Pashinyan told reporters.
“It is necessary for us, not for others, for us to position ourselves in the world,” he noted.
According to Pashinyan, the Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict and a declaration of dependence.
“I will present all of this in the near future, but I want to emphasize again that we need this conversation. We have not discussed it with any external force, we are not discussing it and will not discuss it. We are discussing it with our people,” he said.
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Pashinyan is in a panic and has grounds for it: Marianna Ghahramanyan
Pashinyan is in a panic and has grounds for it, said Marianna Ghahramanyan, spokesperson for the Strong Armenia party.
“In response to inquiries received from a number of media outlets regarding Nikol Pashinyan’s desperate statements, we fully understand him. Nikol Pashinyan clearly sees and realizes what is happening.
The latest sociological surveys show that he will soon leave office – in two months. His reaction is very natural. Pashinyan is in a panic and has grounds for it… If he needs help, we are ready to help,” Ghahramanyan noted.
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The Civil Contract voted “abstain” on the question “Azerbaijan should not int
Hayk Mamijanyan, head of the I Have Honor faction in the National Assembly of Armenia, provided details from Brussels.
He noted that members of Civil Contract “abstained” on the question stating that Azerbaijan should not interfere in the internal affairs and territorial integrity of Armenia.
Mamijanyan also said that Civil Contract members once again voted against including a proposal on the Armenian Genocide in the statement.
Details are available in the video.
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After the ICRC’s departure, the status of Armenian prisoners in Baku remains
The relatives of the Armenian prisoners held in Baku have been deprived of the opportunity to see them for more than two years. The families are deeply concerned about their health. The last time the Armenian prisoners had independent access was to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The ICRC was the only organization that visited their places of detention, but on September 3, 2025, it ceased its activities in Azerbaijan at the request of the government of that country. This is stated in the statement released by Ruben Vardanyan’s family.
In these circumstances, the issue of the legal status of prisoners, in the sense in which it is considered under international humanitarian law, acquires special significance. It is with a request to obtain clarification on this issue that Veronika Zonabend appealed to the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger.
We publish the letter and reiterate our request to provide clarification on the legal status of Armenian prisoners during the period when ICRC representatives visited them:
“Dear President Spoljaric,
I am writing to you on behalf of my husband, Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen, philanthropist, and former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, who was illegally detained by the Azerbaijani authorities on 27 September 2023 while attempting to leave Nagorno-Karabakh for Armenia.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross. ICRC’s role and mandate are truly unique and unparalleled. In times of cruelty, war, and injustice, the ICRC remains a rare symbol of dignity, compassion, and humanity with the noble mission of protecting the vulnerable. The ICRC is one of the few international organizations in which team members have not lost their sense of mission and continue to approach their work with humanity and care. We deeply appreciate the ICRC delegates’ visits to Ruben at his place of detention in Azerbaijan. For our family, and I am sure for the families of other detained Armenians, your visits mean far more than a formal procedure.
I write with full understanding of the ICRC’s humanitarian mandate, as well as its long-established principles of confidentiality, impartiality, and neutrality. At the same time, for the families of individuals who remain unlawfully detained, it is of profound importance to receive an impartial and professionally grounded understanding of the detainees’ legal status in Azerbaijan at the time of the ICRC delegates’ visits.
This need for clarity is rendered all the more urgent in light of the manifestly deficient judicial proceedings in Azerbaijan, including trials that lack fundamental guarantees and charges that appear devoid of factual and legal basis. The suffering inflicted on the families of the detainees as a result of their unlawful detention and the conduct of proceedings that lack fundamental fairness is further aggravated by the dissemination of misleading information and the deliberate misrepresentation of the detainees’ status by the Azerbaijani authorities, who publicly and repeatedly label them as “terrorists.”
In this context, I respectfully ask for clarification of the specific legal status under which Ruben and other Armenian detainees were visited by ICRC delegates. In particular, we seek to understand whether they were considered by the ICRC as persons deprived of liberty in relation to an armed conflict, and as such whether they were prisoners of war, security detainees, internees, or have another status under applicable rules of international humanitarian law.
Such clarification would be of exceptional value. It would provide much-needed reassurance to families and contribute meaningfully to an objective understanding of how the detainees are regarded under international humanitarian law and the ICRC’s humanitarian visiting standards.
Allow me to conclude by expressing sincere gratitude for the humanity and dignity the ICRC brings to its work, qualities that remain indispensable in a world where they are too often in short supply.
Finally, I address you not only in your official capacity, but also with a deeply personal appeal to the organization whose mission has always been to place the protection of human life, dignity, and justice above formalities and political considerations. For families like ours, who are living through the anguish of prolonged and unlawful detention of our loved ones, this belief in the ICRC’s humanitarian conscience is a source of hope. I sincerely trust that this same spirit will guide your attention to the situation of Ruben and other Armenian detainees.
Yours sincerely,
Veronika Zonabend”
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