Pashinyan against old illusions? Washington’s echo in Armenian politics

During a recent government Q&A session in the National Assembly, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shed light on a number of pressing issues on the country’s domestic political agenda, of which we have highlighted several relevant aspects.

In particular, he stated that in 2026 the country may reduce defence spending: “We do not plan to increase defence spending in 2026 compared to 2025, and instead we plan to reduce it.”

Given that after the 44-day war Armenia significantly stepped up its arms purchases and accordingly increased its defence expenditures, this decision can be seen as the current Armenian authorities’ rejection of a militarisation policy — which, without doubt, is yet another result of the Washington meeting. Incidentally, on August 19 the ratings agency Fitch described the initialling of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan as a “positive step,” noting that a reduction in geopolitical risks could, in the medium term, ease Armenia’s budgetary burden by lowering defence spending.

Moreover, this shift in priorities is likely linked to the new geopolitical orientations of official Yerevan. Such a development not only aligns with Baku’s peace agenda but also opens real opportunities for establishing stability and security in the region.

Further, during the government Q&A session, Nikol Pashinyan once again emphasised that Armenia and Azerbaijan, in Washington, reaffirmed each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, and inviolability of borders.

“There is objective reality and subjective perception. The objective reality is that Armenia and Azerbaijan, in Washington, once again recognised each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, and inviolability of borders,” he said.

This message from the Armenian leader is undoubtedly aimed at a domestic audience, primarily his political opponents. In other words, Pashinyan effectively signalled once again that the agreements signed on the American track between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia are not merely declarative documents, but a mutual decision by two states to establish peace and regional stability, formalised in the world’s number-one office.

This context also frames his statements that Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over its territory extend to everyone, without any distinction based on nationality, race, religion, or citizenship.

Answering a question on how the entry of Azerbaijani citizens into Armenia will be regulated if communications are reopened, Pashinyan said that the jurisdiction of the Republic of Armenia is a state principle that applies equally to all, while noting that Armenia aims to adopt modern technologies and mechanisms, including in matters of border crossing.

“They provide for passport control using scanning devices as standard. That is, without human involvement. Border guards intervene only when suspicious individuals are detected,” said the Armenian Prime Minister, clarifying that such technologies will be used at all of the country’s borders — with Georgia, Iran, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan — as well as in airports.

In other words, Nikol Pashinyan indicated that the entry of Azerbaijani citizens into Armenia will not create any inconvenience for them and will be managed by the relevant Armenian authorities in the same manner as for citizens arriving from other countries in the region.

At the same time, it is necessary to remind the Armenian Prime Minister that Baku has repeatedly stated that Azerbaijani citizens travelling from the main part of the country to Nakhchivan should not be subject to inspection by Armenian border guards or customs officials. In other words, access from one part of Azerbaijan to another must be unobstructed; its citizens should not encounter Armenian border officials, and there should be no physical contact.

In his address, the Armenian leader also stated that the OSCE Minsk Group had been of no use.

“I see nothing useful in the activities of the Minsk Group; there was nothing of value in it. These activities were aimed at deepening the conflict, turning it into a tool to control not only Armenia, but the entire region,” he said.

Thus, the Armenian Prime Minister once again confirmed his commitment to a peaceful agenda, as the initiative to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group was one of the key demands of the Azerbaijani side.

Summing up all of the above, one can hope that the current Armenian authorities will indeed succeed in making amendments to the country’s constitution to remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan — that is, to fulfil Baku’s final demand. This would be a decisive step that could bring full peace to the region.