Armenia buys weapons but hopes never to use them, says PM

Armenia is continuing to purchase weapons and military equipment, but hopes they will never need to be used, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

Speaking during a visit to the National Security Service (NSS) in Yerevan on January 8, Pashinyan addressed staff as the country marked the professional day of its security services, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

“We are acquiring armaments and military equipment with the hope that we will never have to use them,” the prime minister said. “Avoiding the use of force should be the main task of the National Security Service.”

He stressed that the NSS must nonetheless maintain strong operational capabilities, including highly equipped special forces units, to ensure national security.

Pashinyan also highlighted the fight against drug trafficking as a key priority for Armenia’s security agencies, urging them to focus on dismantling major criminal networks rather than targeting isolated incidents.

Armenia’s professional day for security service employees was traditionally observed on December 20 during the Soviet period. In 2024, the authorities introduced a new official date, moving the observance to January 8.