Armenian PM: Peace with Azerbaijan in place, next step — building trust

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has highlighted the necessity to strengthen and institutionalise the peace achieved with Azerbaijan.

“Let me state once again: yes, peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and our task is to strengthen and institutionalise this peace,” Pashinyan said during a session of the National Assembly, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

He added: “It is very important to note the following: if we speak very roughly, every millimetre of growth in trust between Armenia and Azerbaijan leads to ten centimetres of practical progress. I want to say that today I am much more optimistic about the prospects for peace than, for example, on August 15 or 20, 2025.”

The Armenian premier also addressed concerns over Armenia’s rising public debt.

“We hadn’t mentioned this before, but now we can, because peace has been established. I am surprised when the opposition talks about increasing public debt. Have they not seen or understood the capital expenditures for the Ministry of Defence amounting to $4.4 billion, which are already included in the budget? Haven’t they seen it? How is it possible not to see it?" Pashinyan said, urging the opposition to acknowledge the existing budget allocations.

The premier also highlighted unforeseen expenses related to Armenians who voluntarily left Karabakh in 2023: "The next issue relates to expenditures for unplanned functions connected to Karabakh and refugees from Karabakh. That’s it, nothing else!”

By Khagan Isayev