Armenian Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan and his deputy Anushik Avetyan held a meeting on Wednesday with ambassadors and chargés d’affaires of EU member states accredited in Armenia.

Papoyan said on social media that programs aimed at strengthening Armenia’s economic resilience and development were discussed at the meeting.

The parties emphasized the importance of expanding export opportunities for Armenian products and facilitating trade.

Minister Papoyan noted that Armenian products are comparable in quality to those offered on the European market, meet the highest international standards, and hold GLOBALG.A.P. certification, along with all other required certifications.

“We have made significant progress in improving the business environment and raising quality standards. Today, many Armenian companies are ready not only to increase their exports but also to establish long-term partnerships with European buyers,” the minister said.

The discussion also addressed the progress of export support programs to European Union member states and other countries, as well as state support tools.

At the end of the meeting, the minister answered questions from the ambassadors and presented state policy aimed at developing the sector.

In Brussels, within the framework of the high-level launch event of the “Connectivity Agenda Platform,” the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia signed a joint statement of intent, formally marking the launch of advisory support under the Eastern Partnership Investment in Connectivity (EPIC) initiative.

According to a press release from the Armenian ministry, the initiative provides support for preparatory work on the strategic road routes of Akhurik–Kayan and Margara–Kayan, which will connect border checkpoints to Armenia’s road network.

In the first phase, the European Investment Bank will provide advisory assistance aimed at defining the scope of the necessary studies and developing feasible solutions for these road projects.

The projects are being implemented within the framework of the Armenian government’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative and aim to contribute to the development of regional transport connectivity, strengthen Armenia’s role as a reliable transport and logistics hub, and advance the EU’s Connectivity Agenda.

On June 23, the European Commission launched the Connectivity Agenda Platform and concluded agreements with international financial institutions expected to mobilize up to €2 billion for strategic connectivity investments in the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus.

The Platform was unveiled at a high-level ministerial meeting hosted by Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela, and Commissioner for Sustainable Transport Apostolos Tzitzikostas. The meeting brought together ministers of transport and senior representatives from EU Member States, Armenia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, alongside representatives of the G7 and international financial institutions, to advance the Cross-regional Connectivity Agenda under the Global Gateway strategy.

The Connectivity Agenda Platform will provide a framework for participating countries, international financial institutions and other stakeholders to coordinate investments and policy action across transport, energy, digital connectivity and trade sectors. To further strengthen the cooperation with the region, the participants also agreed to strengthen the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor’s operational performance. They invited the Commission to assess the corridor’s functioning and propose priority actions to improve its competitiveness.

To support the implementation of the Connectivity Agenda, the Commission has concluded statements of intent with international financial institutions expected to mobilize up to €2 billion for investments in transport infrastructure, border crossing points and trade facilitation across the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus. These investments will help improve cross-border connections and facilitate trade along the corridor.

Lake Sevan, the largest body of water in Armenia, has experienced a measurable increase in water levels in 2026, driven by above-normal precipitation and heightened river inflows during the spring and early summer months.

Speaking at a press briefing, the Director of the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Environment, Levon Azizyan, said that spring flood discharge volumes were especially high in the river basins of the Hrazdan, Arpa, Vedi, Dzknaget, and Vorotan rivers, reaching up to 170% of the norm.

Heavy precipitation continued into June. In particular, in June, the average monthly river discharge in all rivers exceeded the norm.

He noted that Lake Sevan’s water level has experienced an increase not seen since the early 1990s.

“The abundant precipitation has had an impact on the water level of Lake Sevan. If on January 1, 2026, the level of Lake Sevan was 1900.22 meters, then as of June 24, it stands at 1900.73 meters. This indicator is 3 cm higher compared to the same period last year. Such a rate of increase in the lake’s level during June is rarely observed. In the period from June 1 to June 24 this year, the level of Lake Sevan rose by 15 cm, and such an increase was last recorded more than three decades ago, in 1993,” said Levon Azizyan.

Regarding controlled water releases from Lake Sevan, Levon Azizyan noted that, due to the precipitation-rich season, water discharge from the lake this year will be delayed. For example, in 2025, water withdrawal from Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes began on June 6. Between June 6 and June 24, a total of 31.677 million cubic meters of water had already been released from the lake. This year, however, no water release from Lake Sevan has yet been carried out.

He added that although reservoir levels this year are generally positive, mostly near or above 100% capacity, this is still not sufficient. There are regions where irrigation is impossible without water releases from Lake Sevan. At the same time, he noted that the relatively high reservoir levels will have a positive effect, and as a result, smaller volumes of water will be released from Lake Sevan this year.

The Kremlin has said it hopes its “fraternal” Armenia will eventually choose to stay within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) instead of pursuing potential EU integration.

“We see that Armenia, the leadership of Armenia, is now standing at a crossroads,” the Russian state news agency TASS quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying.

“The leadership of Armenia is speaking about the path of future development. This is important for us, because for many centuries Russia and Armenia have been neighboring, fraternal countries.”

Peskov said he hopes that Yerevan will ultimately choose in favor of the Eurasian Economic Union, claiming that this integration process is “significantly” more beneficial than Armenia’s possible accession to the European Union.

“We are convinced that the Eurasian Economic Union makes a significant contribution to the growth of Armenia’s GDP every year. And we are convinced that, by all qualitative characteristics, our integration process is significantly superior to other alternatives. We hope that, first and foremost, the Armenian people, as well as the current leadership of Armenia, will, after analyzing the situation, come to the same conclusion,” Peskov said.

The Armenian parliament adopted a bill in 2025 calling on the government to launch the process of EU accession.

Armenia, a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), was recently informed by its EAEU partners—Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan—that they would like to see a referendum in Armenia on whether to remain in the EAEU or withdraw and move toward the European Union.

These developments come amid growing ties between Armenia and the EU, which Yerevan says do not contradict its EAEU membership at this stage.

Russia’s narrative regarding the incompatibility of the Armenian authorities’ actions has intensified.

Responding to the referendum proposal, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on June 1 that there are currently no grounds for holding such a vote, as Armenia’s European integration process is not yet at a stage where citizens can be presented with a clear choice.

“Until the point when Armenia has either officially applied for EU membership or is very close to obtaining candidate status, holding any referendum would be unreasonable,” Pashinyan said.

According to him, such a choice remains theoretical at this stage.

“Today, that choice is theoretical, and putting a theoretical choice to a referendum is, of course, neither very sensible nor justified,” the prime minister said.

On June 23, in Paris, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Robert Abisoghomonyan had a meeting with Khondker Talha, the President of the 43rd session of the General Conference of UNESCO.

During the meeting, the parties emphasized the key role of UNESCO in advancing peace, intercultural dialogue and sustainable development, highlighting the necessity of collaborative efforts in these directions, the foreign ministry said in a readout.

The reforms envisioned within the framework of the UN80 initiative and, in this context, the ongoing processes within UNESCO, including the review of mandates and the enhancement of operational efficiency were touched upon.

Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan briefed on the constructive and future-oriented agenda of Armenia advanced across international platforms. In this vein, the importance of the unanimous adoption of the “Education for Peace” resolution, tabled by Armenia and passed by the UN General Assembly on June 4, was underscored.

During the meeting, international and regional security challenges, as well as the activities of international organizations within that context were touched upon.

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan visited the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and Sport to inspect the recent renovations. Accompanied by the institute’s Rector Tigran Simonyan, the Minister toured the wrestling, judo, weightlifting, and artistic gymnastics halls where restoration and modernization work had been carried out, the ministry said in a press release.

The conditions created in these facilities, as well as the opportunities for organizing the training process, were presented. Andreasyan emphasized the importance of the continuous modernization of sports infrastructure, noting that modern and safe conditions are a key prerequisite for effective athlete preparation, achieving competitive results, and encouraging young people’s interest in sports.

The Minister also visited the institute’s shooting range, where the prospects for developing sport shooting in schools were discussed. The importance of creating an appropriate environment in schools, as well as including necessary components in physical education programs, was emphasized, with special attention also given to the training of physical education teachers. The parties expressed readiness to cooperate in creating the necessary conditions, developing the material and technical base, and training specialists.

Later, Andreasyan visited the volleyball facility, where professional sports flooring had been installed. Emphasizing the development of team sports, the Minister noted that more than 5,000 children participated in the “School Volleyball League” organized for the first time last year, and an increase in participation is expected this year.

They also discussed matters concerning the preparation of professionals in physical education and sports, focusing especially on filling vacant school PE teacher positions with qualified candidates. Zhanna Andreasyan noted that teachers who took part in the second round of voluntary certification and performed successfully are expected to have their base salary increased to 300,000 drams, with 30%, 40%, and 50% bonuses then applied to this higher base, as part of efforts to improve the teacher pay system.

The Minister also visited the “Sport Lab” research center, where studies are conducted in the fields of sports physiology, biomechanics, and rehabilitation science. The center is also equipped with psychophysiological testing devices necessary for assessing athletes. Its functions include conducting research programs as well as evaluating the functional condition of athletes from various clubs and federations.

During the discussion, it was emphasized that sports development policy should be based on modern scientific data. The Minister highlighted the importance of scientific research and noted that, in the case of relevant program proposals, state support can be provided within targeted programs.

“We must have research data that will allow us to revise existing standards in a well-founded manner. Sport is also a science, and it is very important that universities present scientific proposals aimed at the development of the field,” said Andreasyan.

Within the framework of the visit, reference was also made to the international conference “Sport for Peace and Health,” which was dedicated last year to the 80th anniversary of the institute and will henceforth be held annually.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke by phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to a readout from Pashinyan’s office, PM Modi once again congratulated him on his victory in the parliamentary elections and wished him success in his future work.

PM Pashinyan thanked PM Modi for the congratulations and, in turn, congratulated him on becoming the longest-serving elected Prime Minister in the history of India, wishing him continued success for the benefit of India’s prosperity and development.

The parties emphasized the importance of the continued development of friendly Armenia–India relations and noted with satisfaction the positive dynamics of bilateral cooperation. They highlighted the importance of strengthening political dialogue, as well as expanding cooperation in the fields of the economy, high technologies, education, culture, and other areas of mutual interest.

The Prime Ministers also addressed cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats, discussing steps aimed at further deepening relations across several areas of the Armenia–India agenda.

The sides also stressed the importance of organizing high-level reciprocal visits to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries and promote new initiatives.

In the cemetery surrounding the Shoghagavank historical-architectural monument in the village of Dzoragyugh, Martuni Municipality, Gegharkunik Province, a pagan-era phallic stele has been preserved next to medieval carved khachkars (cross-stones).

As 63-year-old Dzoragyugh resident Hakob Hakobyan told Armenpress, women from the area and other places who were unable to conceive would come and sit on the stele in hopes of becoming pregnant.

Locals call the pre-Christian-era sculpture “Portakar.”

“This Portakar has not lost its significance even today. I have heard from elders that infertile women used to visit this place very often and sit on the Portakar, which is a carving of a male genital organ. They would mostly come at night or at times when no people were around. It is possible that even today, by tradition, there are women who visit here due to infertility. In the Shoghagavank cemetery there are more than a hundred ornately carved, beautifully designed khachkar tombstones created between the 9th and 17th centuries, but among them this monument also holds a unique place. Naturally, it was carved in much earlier times, during the Armenian pagan period, and was miraculously preserved next to Christian monuments,” Hakobyan said.

The Portakar phallic sculpture in the Shoghagavank cemetery in Dzoragyugh is over 1 meter long and 40 centimeters wide. It is made of local basalt stone and lies flat on the ground. It is possible that it was originally standing upright in earlier times.

There is no mention of the Portakar phallic stone of Dzoragyugh in historical sources or in the works of archaeologists who have studied the village. It is also not registered in the list of state-protected monuments. The cult of the phallus was widespread in ancient Armenia.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan met in Paris with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Lidia Brito.

The meeting addressed preparatory work for the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), which will be held in Armenia in 2026, as well as initiatives planned within the framework of the Conference, the Foreign Ministry said in a readout.

The Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring high-level participation in the Leaders’ Summit and the High-Level Ministerial Segment to be held during the Conference.

He also highlighted UNESCO’s key role in addressing global environmental challenges, including efforts to conserve biodiversity. In this context, the two sides exchanged views on the prospects for UNESCO’s involvement in COP17 and on joint initiatives.

The importance of UNESCO’s active participation in the thematic events planned within the Conference was also emphasized, in particular the “Nature and Culture” Summit and the “Education Day” thematic event. The “Yerevan Dialogue on Mountain and Freshwater Biodiversity,” planned within the framework of the Conference, was also highlighted as an important platform for cooperation.