Armenians head to the polls as prime minister works to loosen ties with Russia
(AP)
Armenians are voting in parliamentary elections, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeking a mandate to loosen ties with Moscow and deepen cooperation with the West.
Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party aims to strengthen Armenia‘s independence and democracy, identifying the European Union as a primary partner for reforms.
Russia has imposed economic restrictions on Armenian exports and President Vladimir Putin has issued thinly veiled threats, comparing Armenia’s geopolitical shift to Ukraine’s.
Opposition parties, including Strong Armenia, the Hayastan bloc, and the Prosperous Armenia Party, are largely pro-Russian and criticize Pashinyan for his foreign policy direction and attempts to normalize relations with Azerbaijan.
The European Commission has condemned Russia’s actions as ‘economic coercion,’ while Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Pashinyan’s leadership.
