The CIS Interparliamentary Assembly has been invited by Armenian authorities to observe, alongside other international observers, the upcoming June 7 parliamentary elections, the CIS IPA Secretariat said in a press release.

The Secretariat said that the invitation was conveyed in a letter from Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan addressed to Valentina Matviyenko, Chair of the Board of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) IPA and Chair of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia.

Simonyan invited the delegation of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly to participate in the international observation of Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections.

“The authorities of the Republic of Armenia are committed to conducting the elections in accordance with democratic norms and standards, in the spirit of freedom, fairness, and transparency,” the letter specifically states, according to the Secretariat. 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Wednesday that his Facebook and Instagram accounts garnered a combined 120 million views in the past month.

He shared a screenshot of the account dashboard showing the data.

“I don’t know whether people like it or not, but the fact is that over the past month, my Facebook and Instagram pages together have had 120 million views. 120 million?” Pashinyan wrote on Facebook.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in Strasbourg, his office reported.

Pashinyan was welcomed at the airport by Christel Schaldemose, Vice President of the European Parliament (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats).

The Armenian prime minister is scheduled to address the European Parliament later on Wednesday.

He will also meet with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament.

President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, expressed gratitude to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during their joint press conference on Wednesday in Strasbourg for facilitating the evacuation of European citizens amid the war in Iran and Middle East escalation. 

“In recent days, amid developments in Iran, Armenia has become a crucial humanitarian corridor. I want to express my gratitude to you. Thank you for helping evacuate European citizens,” Metsola told Pashinyan.

President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, lauded Armenia as a friend on Wednesday.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Strasbourg, Metsola said the European Parliament and the Armenian National Assembly will continue to play a leading role in bringing Armenia closer to the European Union.

“When Europe looks at Armenia, it sees a friend. I hope that when Armenia looks at Europe, it sees an ally and a partner,” Metsola said.

She emphasized that under the leadership of Nikol Pashinyan, there have been significant achievements in Armenia–EU relations since the last European Political Community summit. The EU and Armenia have agreed on a new strategic agenda. According to Metsola, this step will support democratic reforms in Armenia, strengthen the country’s economic resilience, uphold the rule of law, and deepen bilateral cooperation in the field of security. The European Parliament also welcomed the fact that Armenia has been presented with an action plan for visa liberalization.

“All of this contributes to Europe’s overall goal of strengthening our cooperation across different sectors. I am confident that our parliaments will continue to play a leading role in bringing Armenia closer to our Union,” the European Parliament president said.

She added that they are looking forward to continuing discussions next week during the session of the EU–Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee.

Metsola also said she is eagerly anticipating the European Political Community summit, which will take place in early May in Yerevan. She noted that she will be in Yerevan during that time to attend the summit.

The EU seeks to deepen political dialogue with Armenia across various fields, including security, trade, and regional connectivity, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said at a press conference with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Strasbourg.

When asked by Armenpress about the prospects for deepening Armenia–EU ties, given the European Parliament’s ongoing support for Armenia’s democracy, Metsola pointed out that there is a strong commitment on the part of both the European Union and Armenia to strengthen relations.

“We welcome Armenia’s commitment to strengthening parliamentary ties, and there is an ongoing political dialogue in this regard. We genuinely want to deepen our relations in the fields of security, trade, and regional connectivity, and we have been emphasizing this within our institution for years,” the European Parliament president said.

Metsola highlighted that the level of relations with Armenia has increased significantly over the years.

“In line with the recent commitment of our Armenian friends, we want to further deepen our relations. This is why we wanted to invite the Armenian Prime Minister here today. Within our mandate, this is only the first step. Next week, the EU–Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee will hold its session, and in May, for the first time in history, the Armenia–EU summit will take place in Yerevan,” Metsola added.

Referring to the European Parliament’s potential increased presence in Armenia, she noted that such decisions are made by the Parliament’s Bureau.

“A few months ago, we decided to open an office in Moldova, which will cover the entire Eastern Partnership region, including Armenia. In this regard, we fully reaffirm our commitment to all our Eastern Partnership partners,” Metsola emphasized.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan praised on Wednesday the ongoing high-level political dialogue between Armenia and the European Union.

He made the remarks alongside European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Strasbourg, during a joint press conference.

“We periodically feel the need to return to the ‘House of Democracy’ to align the clock of our democratic reforms with that of the House of Democracy, to ensure that our reform process is proceeding on the right path, at the right pace and in the right direction. It is a great honor for us to have the support of the EU and the European Parliament on the path of democratic reforms,” said the Armenian Prime Minister.

According to Pashinyan, the most important development is that in 2025, Armenia adopted and enacted a law initiating the process for the country to join the EU, marking a historic new phase in Armenia–EU relations. The Prime Minister said this provides a new impetus for Armenia to continue advancing its democratic reforms.

Armenia and the EU have agreed on a new strategic agenda, elevating bilateral relations to a new level. The parties are currently actively negotiating on visa liberalization.

He also noted that during this period, Armenia has received support through the European Peace Facility, and the EU’s civilian monitoring mission continues to operate in the country.

“Overall, our high-level political dialogue continues at the executive, legislative, and civil society levels. I am also pleased to note that we have a substantial agenda for economic cooperation,” the Armenian Prime Minister said, expressing his gratitude to Metsola for the invitation.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during his address to the European Parliament on Wednesday in Strasbourg, spoke about the situation in Iran and across the Middle East.

Prime Minister Pashinyan said that Armenia feels deep sorrow witnessing what is happening in the region.

“Iran is our good friend and a neighbor for millennia. You have already seen the extent of our relations with the United States. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Syria are our valued partners. Recently, we have taken a historic step with Saudi Arabia by establishing diplomatic relations. We are deeply sorrowed by what is occurring in the Middle East. Amid such an international-scale crisis, we, as a small and modest state, can only pray for all those who lost their lives and for the wisdom of our partner leaders so that they may find diplomatic solutions as soon as possible,” Pashinyan said.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posing a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East. 

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Wednesday that the recently established peace with Azerbaijan allows Armenia to expand its cooperation with the EU, including in infrastructure projects.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Strasbourg, ahead of his address to the European Parliament.

When asked about defense cooperation between Armenia and the EU, Pashinyan said that Armenia already maintains defense cooperation with individual EU member states.

“We have defense cooperation with France, and through the European Peace Facility, we have already received support from the European Union twice. Overall, we cooperate with the EU in a regional context, and the recently established peace with Azerbaijan provides us with an opportunity to expand our cooperation with the EU, including in infrastructure projects,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan emphasized that when people talk about security, it is often understood as weapons, ammunition, the military, special services, operational actions, and so on — a perception that Armenia has lived with for nearly 30 years.

“In Armenia, there is also much discussion about security guarantees. For me, it is now obvious that the only true guarantee of security is peace. There is no more reliable security guarantee than peace,” the Prime Minister said.

According to Pashinyan, the second layer of security guarantees is cooperation — including economic cooperation, interdependency, and mutual benefit.

“Of course, we have defense cooperation with the United States and several European countries, which we never had before. Nevertheless, understanding that the development of the military is very important, and that every sovereign country has not only the right but also the duty to ensure its security, our perception of security evolves over time — shifting from primarily military to more political and diplomatic,” Pashinyan emphasized.

The Prime Minister again stressed that the focus should be placed more on these aspects.

“Even within Armenia, when I speak on this topic, I say that the military, for us, is not a security tool but a reserve — in case, under any circumstances, the primary tools of peace I mentioned do not work,” concluded the Armenian Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed that Armenia is ready to swiftly ensure a land connection through its territory for Azerbaijan to reach its Nakhchivan exclave, even before the launch of the TRIPP project, emphasizing that this will in no way delay the project’s implementation.

Speaking at the European Parliament plenary session, Pashinyan said that the Republic of Armenia is ready today, using existing infrastructure, to provide road connectivity between Azerbaijan’s western regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic via the Kornidzor–Goris–Yeghegnadzor–Yeraskh route.

He added that this offer does not imply any delay to the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project.

“For the past eight months, full peace has been established along the Armenia–Azerbaijan border. The year 2025 became, for the first time since our independence in 1991, a calendar year in which no casualties or injuries occurred as a result of Armenia–Azerbaijan shootings. For months now, residents of border communities have not heard gunfire.

Moreover, for the first time since independence, in November 2025, a train arrived in the Republic of Armenia via Azerbaijani territory, also passing through Georgia. This followed a statement by the President of Azerbaijan in October 2025, announcing the removal of restrictions on rail transport to Armenia via Azerbaijan, and I am grateful to the Azerbaijani President for this decision.

We, for our part, have also announced that we are ready, even today, to ensure transit from Azerbaijan to Turkey and vice versa using our existing roads. Neither Azerbaijan nor Turkey has yet used this opportunity, presumably because they are concerned it might delay the implementation of the TRIPP project. From this podium, I officially declare that Armenia has neither the intention nor the reason to delay the TRIPP project, as it fully aligns with Armenia’s short-, medium-, and long-term interests, and, in no way undermines Armenia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, or jurisdiction.

I also want to add that the Republic of Armenia is ready today, using existing infrastructure, to ensure road connectivity between Azerbaijan’s western regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic via the Kornidzor–Goris–Yeghegnadzor–Yeraskh route,” Prime Minister Pashinyan said.

He added that this proposal is not intended in any way to delay, obstruct, or disregard the Washington agreements. “I say this officially. We make these proposals because, as I mentioned earlier, we are already using Azerbaijan’s railway in a slightly alternative way. Just as Azerbaijan is waiting to establish connectivity to Nakhchivan via Armenian territory, we are also waiting to establish a railway connection through Nakhchivan between southern and northern Armenia. This railway route has no alternative for Armenia — the country’s mountainous terrain does not allow any other railway connection between its south and north. As you can see, the expectations of Armenia and Azerbaijan do not conflict.

We also plan to use the Georgia–Azerbaijan railway for exports. I hope that in the near future, Azerbaijan will become an export destination for Armenia. Armenia already imports petroleum products from Azerbaijan, which has helped reduce fuel prices in our market and broken decades-long monopolies in the fuel sector.

I also want to thank the Prime Minister of Georgia for supporting the railway connection between Armenia and Azerbaijan and, more broadly, the peace process,” Pashinyan said.