Armenian Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, during his visit to Paris for the Eurosatory 2026 international defense technology exhibition, met on the sidelines of the event with Alice Rufo, Minister Delegate to the French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs.

“During the meeting, we discussed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in the fields of the defense industry, defense innovation, and advanced technologies,” Minister Hayrapetyan said in a social media post.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the progress in implementing the provisions of the strategic memorandum of understanding signed in Yerevan on May 5 and reached agreements on further steps.

Members of Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract parliamentary faction have submitted a package of legislative amendments proposing a residency requirement for participation in nationwide elections and referendums, under which only Armenian citizens who have lived in Armenia for at least six months during the preceding year would be eligible to vote.

The authors of the draft are lawmakers Arusyak Manavazyan and Alkhas Ghazaryan.

The lawmakers’ initiative follows reports circulating in both international and Armenian media ahead of the parliamentary elections held in Armenia on June 7, alleging that Russia, in an attempt to influence the election results, was taking steps to encourage a large number of Armenian citizens residing in Russia to travel to Armenia, participate in the elections, and vote in favor of specific political forces — the “Strong Armenia” and “Armenia” alliances, as well as the “Prosperous Armenia” party.

Against the backdrop of these reports, a broad public debate emerged in Armenia over why, until now, there has been no legal regulation stipulating that the right to vote in nationwide elections should be granted to people who permanently reside in Armenia, are familiar with the situation in the country, understand the existing challenges, and make their voting decisions based on that understanding. Representatives of the ruling “Civil Contract” party had promised that, if they succeeded in the elections, they would address this issue.

As justification for the proposed legislation, the lawmakers stated that under the current regulations, there is no mechanism ensuring that the exercise of the right to participate in National Assembly elections and referendums reflects a permanent citizen–state connection (unlike elections for local self-government bodies and local referendums).

The package of draft laws proposes that, in the context of participation in nationwide elections and referendums, importance should be given not only to the formal aspect of a person’s connection with the state through citizenship, but also to the substantive aspect of that connection.

Accordingly, it is proposed to introduce an additional requirement for participation in elections and referendums: as of the 48th day before the voting or referendum day — and in the case of early National Assembly elections or a repeat vote, as of the 28th day before the voting day — a voter must have been physically present in the Republic of Armenia for 183 or more days during the preceding 365 days.

Embassy of Japan press release

From 13 to 15 June 2026, a series of Japanese traditional music events was held in Armenia, introducing local audiences to Japanese musical culture and promoting cultural exchange between Japan and Armenia.

On 13 June, a Japanese Traditional Music Concert took place at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall in Yerevan. The program featured performances by Japanese artists, including Mr. Jumpei Otsuka on the shō, a Gagaku instrument regarded as one of Japan’s oldest traditional musical instruments; Mr. Koki Nakamura on the Tsugaru shamisen; Ms. Yoshika Sawairi performing traditional Japanese dance; and Mr. Takahiro Akiba on piano.

A highlight of the concert was a collaborative performance by Japanese and Armenian musicians. Armenian melodies were performed on Japanese instruments alongside traditional Armenian instruments such as the duduk and qanun, presenting the musical traditions of both countries in a shared program. The collaborative program featured beloved Armenian melodies, including “Hoy Nazan,” “Nazani & Broyi,” and “Alagyaz and Khnki Tsar”, as well as “Princess Mononoke,” the famous soundtrack from the anime.

The concert attracted approximately 450 attendees.

On 14 June, a smaller concert was held at the Hikari Center, providing an opportunity for children, young people, and other visitors to experience Japanese traditional music.

On 15 June, a lecture-concert on Japanese traditional music was organized at the State Music College named after Romanos Melikyan. Students learned about Japanese musical instruments, their history and characteristics, and had the opportunity to observe demonstrations and try playing the instruments themselves.

The events provided opportunities for Armenian audiences to experience Japanese traditional music and contributed to cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and Armenia.

Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan met French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans Catherine Vautrin in Paris. According to Papikyan, Vautrin congratulated him on the victory of the Civil Contract party in Armenia’s parliamentary elections. In a post on Facebook, the Armenian defence minister said the two sides highly valued the current level of Armenia-France cooperation and stressed the importance of further strengthening and expanding the established partnership. The ministers also discussed the progress of cooperation in bilateral and multilateral formats, prospects for its further development, and a range of regional and international security issues.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the situation in the South Caucasus and the ongoing peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan during talks in Moscow. According to a statement by the Turkish foreign minister, the issue was among the key topics addressed during the meeting. “We discussed in detail the situation in the South Caucasus and the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This is a very important aspect for peace in the region,” Fidan said at a joint press conference with Lavrov.

A prosecutor has applied to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) for consent to initiate criminal proceedings against former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who headed the electoral list of the Armenia Alliance in the parliamentary elections. The Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that the request had been submitted to the CEC. The Armenia Alliance secured enough votes in the elections to enter parliament and will be represented in the newly elected National Assembly. As Kocharyan is an elected MP candidate, the CEC’s approval is required before criminal proceedings can be initiated against him. On 14 June, reports emerged that Kocharyan had attempted to leave the country but was informed at the airport that he was subject to a travel restriction. The head of Kocharyan’s office later said the former president had been planning a three-day trip abroad.

Armenian Ambassador to Iran Grigor Hakobyan has met with the head of Iran’s Customs Administration, Foroud Asgari, to discuss bilateral trade and economic cooperation. According to the Armenian Embassy in Iran, the two sides discussed prospects for further expanding trade and economic ties between Armenia and Iran, as well as measures aimed at facilitating trade. The meeting also focused on the operation of the Meghri-Norduz border crossings, opportunities to improve border procedures, and ways to enhance the efficiency of cargo transportation. In this context, the parties highlighted the importance of the close cooperation already established between the customs authorities of the two countries.

NATO is set to deploy an air defence system in Türkiye’s Konya province as part of efforts to strengthen the security of the country’s airspace, according to Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber. The report said the decision was made in coordination with NATO allies amid continuing regional tensions. The deployment is expected to enhance Türkiye’s ability to monitor and respond to potential threats. No details have been released regarding the type of system to be deployed or the timeline for its installation. Earlier, Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence said it had intensified measures to protect the country’s airspace and had held consultations with NATO on the regional security situation. In March, a Patriot air defence missile system was deployed in Türkiye’s Malatya province to support the country’s air and missile defence capabilities.