You talked about Russian interference before the elections to be held in Armenia, you support the Prime Minister a month before the elections, isn’t your support also foreign interference? In Yerevan, a French journalist asked a question to French President Emmanuel Macron.

“I undertake the obligation to support this partner whom I have trusted for 8 years, as I did in the case of (President of Moldova-Ed.) Maya Sandu. I take this decision to defend Europe, Europe’s decisions by coming here, but it is not the same as those interactions, that information manipulation through the media, spreading false information, trying to destabilize the rule of law. This is the difference,” Macron said in response.

According to him, we cannot talk about intervention in this matter. “Here is an open-faced intervention, and on the contrary, there are other interventions by foreign agents, at the behest of Moscow, who are trying to falsify democracy. I give my arguments, I participate in democracy as the president of France, I do not fake. That’s the difference, it’s important to remember that.”

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According to the results of the Armenia-EU summit Armenia-EU joint declaration was adopted, in which, among other things, it is stated:

“The EU recognizes the European aspirations of the Armenian people, which are rooted in 2025. in March, with the adoption of the law on “Starting the process of accession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union”, which expresses the country’s intention to move towards the EU.

168․am-the political scientist, analyst from Stepan Danielyan asked if he believes in the European perspective of Armenia, and in which case it will be realistic?

“Even many Europeans do not believe in the European perspective. Here, perhaps, it is necessary to quote the words of the “beloved of the Armenian people” Macron, who stated months ago that he is not sure whether the European Union will exist as such or not in 5 years. In other words, if the president of one of the major countries has that opinion, there is no question about us either,” Stepan Danielyan said in response.

In his observations about the “real” goals of this summit, the analyst made several emphases, emphasizing both its internal Armenian and geopolitical significance.

“The purpose of this entire event was to provide pre-election support to the current government. It also had geopolitical significance. they show that they have entered the formal territory of Russia. This was a demonstration, a demonstration to the President of Russia that geopolitical changes can already take place here. Another consideration is that competition between the European Union and the United States also exists in different regions of the world, including the South Caucasus, whose role in terms of transportation is increasing,” he explained.

Stepan Danielyan responded to the correction: Has Russia, in fact, washed its hands of the region?

“Russia has definitely not washed its hands from the region, Russia’s situation in terms of war is quite problematic, and Russia is trying its best to find new enemies.

or not to get new complications, to avoid them, but he will avoid them until the situation is already unacceptable for him.

I think that formally, Armenia has not yet crossed those red lines, because the important thing for the current prime minister is these pre-election dividends and collecting points from those shows, but real, concrete steps against Russia have not been taken yet. He did not leave the CSTO, he did not leave the EAEU, he did not demand that the Russian troops leave Armenia. Those are the important points, the red lines for Russia, which the current regime has not yet crossed.”

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These days in Yerevan, French President Emmanuel Macron admitted that his country and he are the key actors of the 2022 Prague process, which de facto recognized Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan.

In particular, during the state dinner at the presidential residence on the evening of May 4, the head of France said the following.

“Since the fall of 2022, I have not forgotten anything from that night. Only two years had passed since the beginning of the war. The situation was very volatile and you showed great courage because you were making a decision for your country. But I want to say something simple։

First of all, in such moments, I believe, France has fulfilled its duty. It is true that it was strange for many people in Europe or elsewhere why we unconditionally support Armenia. By the way, to calm you down, I should mention that after the meeting that the Prime Minister referred to, I almost stayed out of all subsequent meetings until the conflict with President Aliyev was settled.”

Of course, this is not the first time that Macron expresses this idea. On one occasion, in an interview given to one of the French media, he mentioned that Artsakh is a territory that has not been recognized by the international community.

“Nagorno-Karabakh is an area in the heart of Azerbaijan, and he started a terrible war with many casualties, terrible scenes, and occupied that area in September. And launched several attacks all along the border, presumably to build a corridor from one end of his territory to the other. And what can we do? We clearly condemned it, I did it immediately, I called President Aliyev and invited the leaders of the two countries to Paris. France is one of the mediating powers. After that I invited the leaders of both countries to Prague. Within a few hours, we met with the President of the European Council and the leaders of the two countries. and we decided that both sides are committed to recognizing the 1991 borders.” he elaborated.

Nikol Pashinyan has not once expressed his gratitude for this mission of Macron these days.

“The architecture of peace is based on the Alma Ata Declaration, the recognition of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The role of French President Emmanuel Macron is key in this architecture,” Nikol Pashinyan emphasized during a joint statement with Macron on May 5.

It is another matter that the Armenian figures who are in good relations with the French president may not agree with the claims regarding Macron’s key or important role in the mentioned process. Of course, the third country always defends what your country decides, in this case, Armenia decided to fulfill the demands of Azerbaijan and received the support of France, but the problem is that the head of the former IC co-chairing country considers the Prague decision of the RA authorities as exemplary.

Why are we writing this? During the days of the war and after it, various circles unequivocally claimed that France offered military aid to Armenia, but Armenia or Nikol Pashinyan refused. In particular, during the NDB rally years ago, Vladimir Poghosyan, the adviser of the former head of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, Onik Gasparyan, presented himself, in particular, had announced.

“We know that the 44-day war of 2020 was planned together with Turkey. Since 2012, Russia has broken the military balance. I can’t believe that Aliyev has become such a stubborn boy that he can block the road on his own and say: I am doing a blockade. This is a joint work with the Russian Federation. They especially weaken our army, all the roads were closed during the war. None of the money we contributed, which was supposed to bring weapons and ammunition from Russia, entered Armenia. It was also a thought process. During the war, I negotiated with the representatives of France, with the ambassador, France offered us military assistance, our government refused.”

First of all, does Vladimir Poghosyan, who worked at the General Directorate of Security during the war, or perhaps gave advice to Onik Gasparyan, the head of the General Directorate at that time, does he have justifications that Russia was one of the planners of the war, did Onik Gasparyan have such information and did he speak about this in the Investigative Commission? 

Besides that, by what right did he negotiate with the French side, if such a thing happened, can he bring clear evidence of what military aid France offered to Armenia during the war, which was rejected, when, by and large, there was no official confirmation from either Armenia or France.

And these days, the statements of the leaders of Armenia and France mentioned above prove exactly this: nothing like that happened.

But there are official facts, which is earlier 168.amthe stated: noting that before the 44-day war, warnings were made in the Ministry of Defense about Turkish threats to the French side and the possibility of Turkey’s direct participation in the war. In particular, after the July battles and before the 44-day war, in the Ministry of Defense of the RA, on the French side has been warned about the possible consequences and goals of Turkish-Azerbaijani joint military exercises.

In other words, at that time Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan noted that “from the military point of view, their tactical nature is not a concern, but it is important so that the military exercises do not turn into provocative actions in the immediate vicinity of the borders of the Republic of Armenia, defense structures and other infrastructures.”

of the 44-day war days more several times to the French ambassador at the time, Jonathan Lacotte had met Former RA Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan, during which he presented the facts of the involvement of foreign servicemen and mercenaries, the consequences of the targeting of peaceful settlements by the enemy, it was noted that the maintenance of the ceasefire can be ensured only in the case of the use of international verification measures.

2020 Pashinyan, in turn, several times during the war had a phone conversation With Macron, including war on the first day. 

And in June 2023, Pashinyan in the Investigative Commission had mentioned.

“On October 17, French President Emmanuel Macron took the initiative, who informed me that the President of Azerbaijan agrees to establish a cease-fire without preconditions from the midnight of October 18. Naturally, I agreed to this, and within a few hours, the following statement was agreed between France, Armenia and Azerbaijan, which was published late in the evening of October 17. “The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan decided to establish a humanitarian ceasefire on October 18, at 00:00 local time.

This decision was made in continuation of the statement made by the presidents of the French Republic, the Russian Federation and the United States of America representing the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries on October 1, the statement made by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on October 5 and in accordance with the joint statement adopted in Moscow on October 10.

Regarding this announcement, even before publication, we had consultations with our Russian partners, who welcomed the initiative: Contrary to the announcement, however, no ceasefire was established on October 18 either, although all day long we have been making diplomatic efforts to stop the war. In other words, after this announcement, there was no pause at all.”

It is believed that France either did not try or failed to first prevent the war and then its terrible course and outcome. Of course, we do not blame France for the defeat in the war, and we remember very well that Russia is Armenia’s strategic ally, that Armenia was also the guarantor of Artsakh’s security. We also remember very well that Nikol Pashinyan was satisfied with the support shown by Russia during the war, that he had about 9 telephone conversations with Russian President Putin, that during the war Pashinyan wanted the Russian peacekeepers to be stationed in Artsakh, and after the war, Putin said about Pashinyan: “он не предатель”. We remember everything very well, and besides all this, also the fact that France was ready to sign an arms supply agreement with Armenia in October 2023, after the depopulation of Artsakh.

In this context, let us remind that in 2024 In the spring, the former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Davit Tonoyan to “Pastinfo” had said.

“The lack of military-technical cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and France was not caused by the lack of interest of the Republic of Armenia, and the above-mentioned change after the actual depopulation of Artsakh, that is, the establishment of cooperation, is explainable. I hope that in the current geopolitical conditions, the military-technical cooperation with France will be long-term and continuous, and in terms of security risks, it is calculated and predicted.”

Continuity is essentially ensured. And in addition to the weapons supplied to Armenia by France, on May 5, a contract for the supply of equipment was signed between the RA Ministry of Defense and the French Sofema Group in Yerevan. In addition, the RA Defense Department has signed a contract for the supply of transport helicopters with the Airbus helicopters company.

No one denies that France Military aid to Armenia is conditional with the historical basis of Armenian-French relations and the fact of age-old friendship, which France never ignores. But, of course, as they say, nothing happens just like that in politics, there are also other motives, which is also in the logic of the “political campaign” against the Russian Federation or pushing it out of the region. This, if we also take into account some of the statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron during the “Yerevan Dialogue-2026” international conference.

First, he announced. “The South Caucasus should not be a place of competition between empires, which consider the region as a trophy, a prize, pitting local nations against each other. The South Caucasus can regain its central position between Europe, Asia and the Middle East. And in the South Caucasus there are opportunities to be a crossroads in this region, to be that middle corridor.”

Then, the French president considered it necessary to emphasize that for a long time many people thought that the fate of Armenia was possible only under the patronage of Russia, noting:

“The war of 2020, what you experienced, the tragedy that many families went through, saw that it was not the patronage that many imagined. We saw that Russia left Armenia, we understood that those dreams are not reality. Everyone seems to have learned that he must be a patron in the region, because the South Caucasus always seems to have to be protected by someone.”

And before this, Nikol Pashinyan did not oppose these claims of Macron, not far in the past during the NA-Government question-and-answer session after his visit to Moscow and Putin’s meeting. had announced. 

“We had very long and detailed discussions and we have acquired such strategic agreements to deepen cooperation in various fields, the expression of which we will see in the near future.”

Later, at a briefing with journalists, when Nikol Pashinyan was asked whether there are military-technical agreements with Russia, whether your statement means that Armenia has an agreement to buy weapons from Russia, he answered:

“We have military-technical cooperation with Russia, we had it, which at some point was either interrupted or decreased, and yes, we have an agreement to implement the previously reached agreements.”

Later, in response to our written request, the RA Ministry of Defense did not deny the plans to purchase weapons from Russia.

It turns out, do not the de jure established strategic relations with France prevent Armenia from having strategic agreements with Russia as well, or will the wish of Macron and Europe be fulfilled at some point, and instead of Russia, Europe will help Armenia to ensure border security?

Note that press publications According to Macron, he stated that: «There are still 4,000 Russian soldiers and more than 1,000 border guards on the territory of Armenia, so Europe should help this country to ensure the security of its own borders more independently.”

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European leaders gathered in Yerevan to support Nikol Pashinyan’s re-election to power. About this 168 TVof Revue mentioned on the air of the program Political scientist Suren Surenyants, chairman of the “Democratic Alternative” partyspeaking about the 8th European Political Community (ECC) and the inaugural Armenia-EU summits.

The political scientist emphasizes that these events held on May 4 and 5 in Yerevan are interrelated and, in fact, have one common political context, that is, to provide pre-election support to Nikol Pashinyan based on some geopolitical considerations and calculations.

“When the term of these summits was set, it was obviously in response to Nikol Pashinyan’s request and is definitely related to the pre-election context. At any other stage, these summits would have had a different meaning, but now they clearly and primarily serve Nikol Pashinyan’s electoral, pre-election interests.” commented the political scientist.

Suren Surenyants mainly sees dangers for Armenia under the official solemnity of these events, European smiles and hugs, and beautiful, declarative texts, noting that The summit of the European political community made Armenia the territory of the European Union-Russia “proxy” war։

In this regard, Surenyants mentions, first of all, yesterday’s scandal of French President Macron the statement During the panel discussion at the CIS summit, when he said that “8 years ago, no one would have come to Armenia, because this country was considered by many countries sitting at the table as a de facto satellite of Russia”, and that “we will help the Russian troops to leave here”.

To remind: Macron yesterday had announced. “There are still 4,000 Russian soldiers and more than 1,000 border guards in the territory of Armenia. That’s why Europe should help this country to secure its borders more independently.” The French president added that “in today’s world it is better not to rely too much on Russia”.

Political scientist Suren Surenyants assesses Emmanuel Macron’s statement as “cynical” and “distorting reality”.

“Macron unwittingly reveals the misery of Armenia’s sovereignty because the president of a third country decides the course of Armenian-Russian relations or reserves the right to make such statements. Macron’s statements were cynical both in terms of distortion of reality and emphasis.

For example, it is interesting to hear Macron’s opinion: if 8 years ago we were a Russian satellite due to the architecture he created, that is, after October 6, 2022, where, I repeat, Macron also played a key role, then whose satellite has Armenia become now? Obviously, not the European Union.” said Suren Surenyants.

Speaking on the results of the twin summits and the Armenia-EU summit joint declaration Regarding the content, Suren Surenyants stated that they did not in any way contribute to Armenia’s rapprochement with the European Union or Armenia’s European integration, nor will they contribute to a more democratic Armenia, or in other words, to the Republic of Armenia becoming a more democratic country.

“As we have already said, the timing of the summits and the defiance directed at Nikol Pashinyan suggest that these people have gathered not to promote the democratic development of Armenia, but to promote the reproduction of Nikol Pashinyan’s power.

Let me say more, let no one attribute my words to “anti-Western” or “anti-European” positions, because I am a supporter of the real European integration of Armenia, but let’s not confuse our value orientation with the country’s geopolitical positioning, and I consider it appropriate to record that today’s interests in Europe have nothing to do with the Western universal value system. One should protect the values ​​from today’s Eurobureaucracy. The European Union supports the authoritarianism of Nikol Pashinyan.” emphasizes the political scientist.

The political scientist also makes another record: yesterday’s summit and Aliyev’s speech in it inadvertently reaffirmed once again what kind of humiliating model is set in the process of regulating Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

“Ilham Aliyev arrived in Yerevan via video link, again voiced aggressive theses under the guise of “peace”, and addressed both the European Parliament, but also called our compatriots from Artsakh separatists, and the military-political leadership of Artsakh as “war criminals”. If Roberta Mezzola, the president of the European Parliament, who was present at the summit, opposed Aliyev, we did not see the same in the case of Nikol Pashinyan.

Not only did he not respond to Aliyev’s vulgar statements, but even expressed “thank you” and his eager desire to be hosted in Baku after two years. It is this humiliating model that is at the basis of today’s process of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations regulation.” Surenyants records.

Full interview in the video.

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Satik Seyranyan’s guest in “Pressing” program Dr. Artur Khachikyan of Stanford University Political Science is

The main theses of the interview are below.

• Macron said in plain text: 8 years ago, when you were an ally of Russia, as he literally said, you were a satellite, we didn’t need you, now, when you want to fight Russia, you need us. They did not come to us, but to Zelensky. They came to hold an anti-Russian congress. Let them do that fight with Russia, but what did we have to do with them doing it near us? Ukraine is given enormous weapons, and we are given a pear tail. They came here to do Nikoli’s PR so that their ambassador would be re-elected and Armenia would become an anti-Russian platform.:

• When in 2020 4 states attacked us, Europeans, where were you? That’s when we needed your help. Our boys were also killed with weapons given by Zelensky. That person congratulated Aliyev, and you kiss his hands and give him a gift in Yerevan.

• “Bunderlejen” (President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen, editor’s note) forgot everything when he smelled Azerbaijani oil and gas… And in 2022. In October, Macron gave a very “beautiful” interview, said: we will never leave the Armenians, we remember the Genocide, told the story of Mount Musa, then mentioned that Karabakh is a territory in the heart of Azerbaijan. I have a question for Mr. Macron, that is, what about people, didn’t 120,000 people live there? Mr. Macron, what happened to the Minsk Group? What papers were you signing for 35 years? We were sold to have France take revenge on the Russians for Africa. Macron says this openly:

• In Armenia, look at the terror towards the opponents, they don’t say a word from Europe, but if the same situation were in Belarus, for example, can you imagine what the statements would be…

• Համարեք, որ Փաշինյանն արդեն անկլավները հանձնել է, ու Երևան-Թբիլիսի ճանապարհը լինելու է Ադրբեջանի վերահսկողության տակ: Tigranashen will surrender, Syunik will be cut.

• Let us not be fooled by Macron, he himself organized the Prague meeting with Charles Michel. Why are you blaming Nicole? And where were you? Why did you sit on the side? Why didn’t you ask what those 120,000 people will do? What fate will those people have? Macron went to Tsitsernakaberd today. Well done, but don’t be hypocritical. On the one hand, you go to the Genocide Memorial, on the other hand, you continue the Genocide. I hope, like Vance, he will not receive a call from Turkey and delete his post on the social network:

• Pro-democracy France keeps dictators in Africa because it gets oil, gas, uranium. For example, Bokassa, who in addition to being a dictator, according to some reports, is also a cannibal. A total of 8 dictators, including the leaders of Congo, Cameroon, and Togo.

• With his video message from Baku, Aliyev put the Europeans in their place, he also called us separatists, and the leader of our country swallowed his tongue. He also announced that he dreams of going to Baku… Isn’t there such a medicine?: 

• Մակրոնն ունի ռեյտինգի պատմական ռեկորդ. rating dropped to 11%. Ֆրանսիական որևէ ղեկավար երբևէ նման ցածր վարկանիշ չի ունեցել: Մակրոնը չի ընտրվելու, Բրիտանիայի վարչապետ Սթարմերը նույնպես հեռանալու է:

• None of our neighboring countries do stupid things like us and do not enter into a war with Russia. everyone is neutral: Georgia, Turkey, Iran, everyone.

• If you find former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson now, ask him if more than a million young Ukrainians have died, are you at peace with it, what will he say? You remember, there was a diplomatic way to solve the Ukrainian issue, but that person did not allow the meeting in Turkey. This is a political and diplomatic crime:

To remind: Comparing Zelensky with Churchill, former Prime Minister of Great Britain Boris Johnson, whose maternal grandmother was Turkish, said during a discussion in Turkey that Ukraine should fight to the last Ukrainian. 

• We have a unique situation where our own government hates our people more than foreigners. We need to check his blood, let’s see what nationality he is from, why he hates Armenians, why is he taking revenge on us?

• Did anyone offer us a military alliance based on the results of this EU summit, are they ready to guarantee our security, are they ready to accept us into NATO, when do we become EU members… Did they say anything concrete? Of course not. Are you going to fight us with Russia? You say: close the nuclear power plant, but will you give us gas and oil, will you open the European market to us? There is no answer. Where will our workers go to work? What will the 500,000 Khopanchi Armenians living and working in Russia do? Will they leave them and come to Europe? What happened to the visa-free regime? All our leaders negotiated visa liberalization, and the Third President Serzh Sargsyan in 2017 signed a serious document, CEPA, which was ratified by the parliaments of dozens of European countries, within the framework of which visa liberalization was to be implemented. So you haven’t done anything new, in fact you haven’t done anything:

• I would also like that the interests of the superpowers would not collide here, but can Mr. Macron stop Turkey’s imperial ambitions? In Hormuz, France refused to help its closest ally, the USA, how will it help us? In other words, they are telling us once again to break away from Russia, then how will you be able to see your head.

• Wake up, dear people, they will bring 300,000 Azerbaijanis, learn Turkish. Then Aliyev will want to ensure the safety of Azerbaijanis, and the Azerbaijani army will enter Armenia:

• These have 15 faces, their standards change daily. Neither Russia nor Europe should interfere in our elections, it should be done by our people. But when you talk about Russia’s hybrid intervention and you don’t see your intervention, that’s hypocrisy. When protesters are attacked in another country, oppositionists are arrested, they see it, but when the same thing happens in Armenia, they don’t. These would shake Adolf Hitler’s hand.

• Imagine if Macron entered Notre Dame during a church service and his bodyguard punched an 18-year-old… just imagine for a minute, what would happen to him? But coming supports this. The same, Starmer. Let’s say, imagine, he says: I will decide who will be the head of the Anglican Church.

• The show will end, those people will go home, we will see our daily lives, we will look at our problems, the prices of our goods, which are more expensive in Yerevan than in New York, and those people will already be thousands of kilometers away…

Details in the video.

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