U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has formally notified Congress of its intention to sell dozens of jet ‌engines worth more than $700 million to Türkiye, according to a copy of the formal notification seen by Reuters.

Reuters was first to report on Wednesday that the Trump administration planned to press ahead with the sale despite objections from some lawmakers over Türkiye’s possession of Russian defense systems, acquired in 2019.

“The U.S. government is prepared to license the export of these items having taken into account political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations,” the State Department said in its notification to Congress, which was dated June 24. 

The sale is an important gesture to Ankara ahead of a ⁠pivotal NATO summit there next month and to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, whom Trump considers a key ally, according to Reuters.

Congress has 15 days to introduce a joint resolution of disapproval if it wants to block the sale. Such a resolution would need to pass in both chambers and could be vetoed by Trump.

Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and a prominent critic of the engine sale, had raised objections during an informal review process with the administration and has not given his green light for the package, two sources, including a U.S. official, told Reuters.

In a statement on Wednesday, Meeks criticized what he described as the administration’s failure to make a “good-faith” effort to brief him on the implications of the sale for bilateral ties as well as Türkiye’s possession of the S-400s.

Asked on Wednesday about the jet engines, the F-35 program and his plans for the summit in Ankara, Trump said: “I’m going to probably do something that will make them very happy.”

The engines, produced by General Electric, will power Türkiye’s first indigenous combat jet KAAN, a major project launched in 2016 as part of the NATO member’s efforts to be more self-sufficient in its defense. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar plans to propose a cabinet resolution on Sunday to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

In a post on X, he said the resolution would subsequently be brought before the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, for a vote.

“I will bring before the Israeli government at its next meeting a proposed resolution for the official recognition by the Government of Israel of the Armenian Genocide. Recognizing the genocide perpetrated against the Armenian people in the final years of the Ottoman Empire is both a moral and historical duty. We must also firmly condemn any denial, minimization, or distortion of the historical truth. The resolution will subsequently be brought before the Knesset for a vote,” the Israeli FM said.

The Armenian team defeated Andorra 63–54 in a group-stage game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s European Championship for Small Countries to qualify for the semifinals.

Lia Krumian was named Player of the Game after recording 25 points, 7 rebounds, and shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range, the Basketball Federation of Armenia said on Facebook.

Armenia will face Malta in the semifinals on June 27.

On June 25, Armenian Ambassador to the United States Narek Mkrtchyan and Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg signed the Joint Statement on AI Opportunity Partnership at the Donald Trump U.S. Institute of Peace.

The statement was signed within the framework of the Pax Silica Summit.

This important partnership reflects the shared commitment of both countries to building a trustworthy, innovation-driven AI future that promotes prosperity, economic security, and technological advancement, the Armenian Embassy to the U.S. said in a press release.

It is based on three key priorities:

Promoting Pro-innovation Regulation

Supporting policies and stakeholders that encourage AI innovation, investment, entrepreneurship, and the secure testing, deployment, and scaling of trustworthy AI ecosystems.

Strengthening Broad AI Cooperation

Deepening collaboration on future AI supply chains, including energy infrastructure, critical minerals, skilled workforce development, and resilient semiconductor supply chains.

Mobilizing Private Industry

Expanding venture capital and technology investments, fostering research and development partnerships, supporting next-generation data centers, improving access to AI computing capacity, advancing the development of trustworthy AI models, and pursuing other related initiatives.

Through this partnership, Armenia and the United States aim to build an AI-driven future that serves both nations, strengthens their economies, and reflects their shared values of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the rule of law.

The Joint Statement on AI Opportunity Partnership was also signed by member states and other countries invited as observers.

Türkiye’s Special Representative for Normalization with Armenia, Serdar Kılıç, has extended congratulations to his Armenian counterpart, Ruben Rubinyan, on securing a nomination for Speaker of Parliament in the next legislature.

Rubinyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party who is currently Vice Speaker in the outgoing parliament and Armenia’s Special Representative for Normalization with Türkiye, was on Thursday chosen by the party board as candidate for Speaker of Parliament in the next legislature, which will be formed as a result of the recent elections.

“I congratulate my counterpart in the process of normalization of Türkiye–Armenia relations Ruben Rubinyan on his election as Speaker of the Armenian Parliament. Over the past four years, we have developed an effective working culture and a sincere friendship. I wish him continued success in his new position,” Kılıç said in a post on X.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan congratulated Vice Speaker and fellow Civil Contract party member Ruben Rubinyan on his nomination as Speaker in the next legislature.

“I congratulate my colleague Ruben Rubinyan on being selected by the board of the Civil Contract party as the candidate for Speaker of the 9th convocation of the National Assembly. I am confident that he will honorably continue the work we started together for the Republic of Armenia,” Simonyan said in a post on social media.

Rubinyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party who is currently Vice Speaker in the outgoing parliament and Armenia’s Special Representative for Normalization with Türkiye, was on Thursday chosen by the party board as a candidate for Speaker of Parliament in the next legislature, which will be formed as a result of the recent elections.

The party board chose Rubinyan in a closed vote over incumbent Speaker Alen Simonyan and majority leader Hayk Konjoryan.

The Constitutional Court on Friday launched its hearing of the challenges filed by several parties to the June 7 parliamentary election results.

The motions to annul the election results, citing alleged fraud, were filed by the Strong Armenia bloc, Wings of Unity party, Democracy, Law and Order party, Prosperous Armenia party, the Rally for the Republic party, the Armenia Alliance, and the New Power Reformist Party.

The Constitutional Court is holding a single hearing on all motions.

Justice Edgar Shatiryan has been appointed as the rapporteur in the case.

The Constitutional Court has also decided to involve the “Civil Contract” party in the case as a third party.

The Constitutional Court has further ruled to include the Central Electoral Commission as a respondent, and the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia as co-respondents.

While reviewing the motion filed by the New Power party, the court earlier ruled that Justices Artak Zeynalyan and Vladimir Vardanyan should be recused and will not take part in the examination of the case, as they “have a biased attitude toward a party to the proceedings, its representative, and other participants in the proceedings.”

Only three political forces entered parliament in the June 7 elections, according to the Central Electoral Commission’s final results.

According to the commission, the Civil Contract party won 49.7% of the vote, securing a majority in the next parliament, while the Strong Armenia bloc came in second with 23.2%. The Armenia Alliance won 9.9%.

The President of the Constitutional Court, Arman Dilanyan, said on Friday that the top court has until July 4 to deliver a ruling on the challenges to the June 7 parliamentary election results.

The hearing on the challenges began on Friday.

Chief Justice Dilanyan said at the hearing that the ruling must be issued by July 4, calling it a tight timeframe, and added that the court will therefore hold hearings over the weekend.

A hearing will take place on Saturday, with the possibility of continuing on Sunday as well, he said.

“We can work today until 19:00 or 19:30. We will also hold a hearing on Saturday, and after that we will decide whether to hold a hearing on Sunday or not. But please do not rule out in any way that we may hold a hearing on Sunday, which would start at 11:00 and could last until 21:00, 22:00, or even 24:00. I am not ruling anything out,” Dilanyan said.

He urged the parties to the case to take into account the working schedule set by the Constitutional Court and to adjust their working and personal schedules accordingly.

The motions to annul the election results, citing alleged fraud, were filed by the Strong Armenia bloc, Wings of Unity party, Democracy, Law and Order party, Prosperous Armenia party, the Rally for the Republic party, the Armenia Alliance, and the New Power Reformist Party.

The Constitutional Court is holding a single hearing on all motions.

The Constitutional Court has also decided to involve the Civil Contract party in the case as a third party.

The Constitutional Court has further ruled to include the Central Electoral Commission as a respondent, and the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia as co-respondents.

Only three political forces entered parliament in the June 7 elections, according to the Central Electoral Commission’s final results.

According to the commission, the Civil Contract party won 49.7% of the vote, securing a majority in the next parliament, while the Strong Armenia bloc came in second with 23.2%. The Armenia Alliance won 9.9%.

In a statement marking the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan underscored the state’s obligations to prevent torture, ensure accountability, and provide comprehensive support to survivors, and expressed confidence that sustained collective efforts can build a society in which no form of torture or ill-treatment is tolerated.

Below is the full statement released by Manasyan’s office:

“June 26 is the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. This day was proclaimed by the United Nations to reaffirm the absolute prohibition of torture, as well as the international commitment to ensuring the protection of the rights of torture survivors and providing them with effective support.

This day is also an opportunity to emphasize that the eradication of torture is not only a legal obligation, but also an _expression_ of respect for human dignity, the rule of law, and the fundamental values of a democratic society. Achieving this goal requires consistent state policy and the joint efforts of all stakeholders.

The prevention of any form of torture and ill-treatment, the effective, independent, and impartial investigation of every report of such cases, bringing perpetrators to justice, and ensuring proper support mechanisms for victims are among the state’s unwavering obligations.

As the national preventive mechanism against torture, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia consistently monitors the protection of the rights of persons deprived of liberty.

Over the years, through monitoring activities, as well as annual and ad hoc reports, systemic issues in the field have been consistently identified, particularly regarding the need to strengthen safeguards for the prevention of torture, establish effective mechanisms for compensating non-material damage caused by torture, and ensure comprehensive support for victims of ill-treatment.

In this context, I emphasize that survivors of torture and their families must have access to state-guaranteed, accessible, and continuous psychological, medical, social, and rehabilitation services. Such support is an important prerequisite for restoring human dignity and fully ensuring rights.

At the same time, the staff of the Human Rights Defender’s Office continues to receive reports and complaints regarding possible cases of ill-treatment of persons deprived of liberty. Every such case requires an immediate response, effective preventive measures, and an independent, impartial, and comprehensive investigation.

Once again, I emphasize that the state is obliged to take all necessary measures to prevent torture, ensure the prompt and effective investigation of every report, and fully restore the rights of victims.

I am confident that, through joint and continuous efforts, it is possible to build a society in which no form of torture or ill-treatment is tolerated.”

FlyOne Armenia airline will launch flights from Yerevan to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 26.

Armenia International Airports, the airport administration company, said the round-trip flights will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays.