According to the Washington-based Heritage Foundation think tank’s Index of Economic Freedom, Armenia’s score is 67.1, making its economy the 52nd freest among 176 countries.

Armenia’s Minister of Economy, Gevorg Papoyan, commented on the index.

“With this indicator, the leading countries are Singapore, Switzerland, and Ireland. According to 2025 data, we were 57th with 65.4 points (we improved our position by five places),” the minister wrote on social media.

Armenia ranks ahead of EU member states such as Spain (53rd), Romania (58th), France (65th), Italy (73rd), Greece (75th), and Hungary (79th).

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, during his visit to Kazakhstan for the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026), met with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, who is also among the attendees.

The presidents hailed that relations between the two countries are developing with stable and positive momentum, covering various areas of cooperation, Khachaturyan’s Office said in a readout.

At the same time, both sides emphasized that there is still significant untapped potential, the full use of which requires targeted and consistent steps, as well as the expansion of joint initiatives.

“During the conversation, the sides thoroughly discussed regional developments, stressing that a qualitatively new situation has emerged in the South Caucasus following the events of August 2025. In this context, it was noted that the current realities open new opportunities for the region and neighboring countries to rethink their cooperation and build it on more predictable, mutually beneficial, and long-term foundations,” the readout said.

In particular, the importance of peace, stability, and the development of communications was emphasized as key prerequisites for economic activity and the deepening of mutual ties.

During the meeting, the presidents exchanged views on ways to expand cooperation in promising areas such as the economy, high technology and artificial intelligence, agriculture, education and science, as well as other forward-looking sectors. Emphasis was placed on promoting innovation, developing scientific and educational links, exchanging professional experience and best practices, and implementing joint programs that could contribute to the economic growth and competitiveness of both countries.

The sides also highlighted the importance of continuously strengthening cooperation on international and regional platforms, stressing the need for the effective use of multilateral formats. In this context, emphasis was placed on advancing aligned agendas and bringing positions closer on issues of mutual interest, in the interest of both countries and broader regional stability.

At the end of the meeting, the presidents reaffirmed their readiness to continue developing and deepening bilateral relations, elevating them to a qualitatively new level.

The Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES 2026), initiated by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will take place on April 22–24, 2026, in Astana under the theme Shared Vision for a Resilient Future. 

The United Nations is a strategic partner of the summit, which will bring together governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to advance environmental sustainability in Central Asia. Eighteen UN agencies will co-organize 27 sessions and five workshops focused on key thematic areas related to climate action, environmental resilience, and sustainable development, according to organizers. 

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan visited Kazakhstan’s Astana to participate in the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026).

On April 22, as he went up the stage to deliver his speech, the moderator introduced him and surprised him by extending birthday greetings. “Happy birthday! I can’t think of a better crowd to celebrate your very special day with,” the moderator said.

The president, who turned 67, expressed his gratitude, remarking, “Yes, thank you very much. It is an interesting situation—my birthday and the official speech. Thank you very much.”

In his speech, the President said that Armenia is already feeling the impacts of climate change, despite contributing only about 0.02% of global greenhouse gas emissions. He highlighted that the country has committed to cutting emissions by up to 52% by 2035 with international support and will host the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) this October to advance global environmental protection efforts.

Watch the video for the full speech.

The Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES 2026), initiated by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will take place on April 22–24, 2026, in Astana under the theme Shared Vision for a Resilient Future. 

The United Nations is a strategic partner of the summit, which will bring together governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to advance environmental sustainability in Central Asia. Eighteen UN agencies will co-organize 27 sessions and five workshops focused on key thematic areas related to climate action, environmental resilience, and sustainable development, according to organizers. 

President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov during a working visit to Kazakhstan, the Armenian Presidential Office said in a readout.

During the meeting, the sides emphasized the importance of further developing and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation on international platforms, highlighting coordinated and active engagement in multilateral formats.

The presidents reaffirmed their readiness to continue constructive cooperation within international organizations. They noted that, despite positive dynamics, the full potential of bilateral cooperation has not yet been realized. 

In this context, the sides stressed the need for practical steps to enhance economic ties, promote direct business contacts, and identify new investment opportunities.

The meeting also addressed the possibility of introducing direct flights between Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. The presidents noted that such a move could significantly strengthen people-to-people ties, promote tourism, and enhance trade and economic cooperation, creating new opportunities for joint projects.

The sides underscored the importance of exchanging experience in various sectors, particularly agriculture, high technologies, and related industries.

Expanding cooperation in these areas, introducing innovative solutions, and sharing professional expertise could boost economic competitiveness and support sustainable development, they said.

Regional developments were also discussed, with both sides emphasizing the importance of strengthening stability, peace, and mutual trust as key conditions for long-term development, as well as the need for continued constructive dialogue and cooperation.

The Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office, Arayik Harutyunyan, has held a meeting with British Ambassador to Armenia Alexandra Cole.

According to the readout from the Prime Minister’s Office, during the meeting, the sides discussed the progress of preparations for the 8th European Political Community Summit to be held in Yerevan, emphasizing its importance in deepening political dialogue and cooperation among European countries.

The meeting also addressed the reform agenda being implemented in Armenia, highlighting measures aimed at strengthening democratic institutions, improving governance efficiency, and ensuring the rule of law. In this context, the development of bilateral cooperation and the exchange of experience were emphasized as important priorities.

The sides reaffirmed their readiness to further deepen the partnership between Armenia and the United Kingdom and underscored the importance of continued high-level dialogue.

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Thom Tillis (R-NC), sent letters to Meta and Alphabet urging them to devote sufficient resources to “preventing Russian disinformation” ahead of Armenia’s June 2026 parliamentary elections, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee press office reported.

“Independent experts assess that Russia is updating its playbook from Moldova, including by using Meta platforms, to influence the results of Armenia’s democratic process,” wrote the Senators in their letter to Meta. “Prime Minister Pashinyan has noted that ‘people from Russia’ are being encouraged to support certain political parties. A respected Armenian civil society group, the Union of Informed Citizens, has identified more than a hundred pages on Meta platforms promoting manipulative content relating to the upcoming elections. The group has also noted coordinated inauthentic behavior reportedly directed by a Russian-Armenian oligarch listed by the first Trump Administration in a statutorily required report to Congress as a ‘significant senior foreign political figure [or] oligarch in the Russian Federation, as determined by their closeness to the Russian regime.’” “We hope that you will reprise and adapt efforts taken to support Moldova in defending its democracy against foreign assault but now with relevant Armenian institutions,” wrote the Senators in their letter to Alphabet. “We urge Alphabet to devote sufficient resources to counter Russian disinformation ahead of the Armenian elections.”

The Senators expressed their concerns to the companies and the recognition by the United States of the grave threat posed by Russian actors’ disinformation efforts to Armenian democracy, according to the press release.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, while Alphabet, Google’s parent company, owns YouTube.

“These elections are pivotal for determining Armenia’s future, as they are likely to determine the outcome of regional peace initiatives and connectivity projects, including the flagship Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a key component of peace talks. No foreign power should be permitted to influence the results of Armenia’s sovereign decisions,” the senators said in the letter to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta.

Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan held a meeting with U.S. Congressman Abe Hamadeh.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current agenda of Armenia–U.S. relations and addressed prospects for further deepening bilateral ties, emphasizing the importance of advancing cooperation based on ensuring regional peace and stability, the embassy said in a readout.

Ambassador Mkrtchyan and Congressman Hamadeh reaffirmed their commitment to continued dialogue and to strengthening cooperation.

Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, during his visit to Greece for the Delphi Economic Forum, held a meeting with Stanislav Secrieru, National Security Advisor to the President of Moldova.

“I discussed with my interlocutor issues covering the Armenia–Moldova bilateral agenda and outlined potential avenues for further cooperation. The meeting also touched on the regional security situation,” Grigoryan said on social media.

The Delphi Economic Forum 2026 is taking place in the Greek town of Delphi.

Grigoryan’s office earlier said that during the forum, he will join Thanos Dokos, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Greece; Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan; and Stanislav Secrieru, National Security Advisor to the President of Moldova, for a panel discussion titled “Strategic Fault Lines: Managing Conflicts and Building Resilience in Europe’s Eastern Neighborhood.”

The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 22 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.21 drams to 372.38 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.65 drams to 437.55 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.0094 drams to 4.9558 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.03 drams to 503.38 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 473 drams to 57189 drams. Silver price down by 4.13 drams to 945.87 drams.

Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, Armen Grigoryan, met with former President of Turkey Abdullah Gül in Greece, he said in a social media post.

Grigoryan noted that the meeting took place on the sidelines of the Delphi Economic Forum.

“During the meeting, we exchanged views on issues of mutual interest,” Grigoryan said, sharing a photo from the meeting.