Pashinyan’s comical Paris trip: Chasing Trump for a photo Thirsting to seize the moment

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan showed yet another example of how he manages to present himself in a ridiculous and comical way. The demonstration took place in Paris, where Pashinyan travelled with his wife, Anna Hakobyan. The Armenian press referred to this as a "working visit to France." In reality, it was an attempt by Pashinyan to get a photo with US President-elect Donald Trump. Pashinyan pinned high hopes on French President Emmanuel Macron in this regard.

At his invitation, the Armenian Prime Minister and his wife arrived in the French capital to visit the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral. It is clear that for Monsieur Emmanuel, this event was quite timely. He is facing enormous problems at home. His approval rating continues to decline, and his protégé, Michel Barnier, was dismissed from his position as Prime Minister. Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen (whose far-right "National Rally" won 143 seats in the July elections) stated that "Macron bears much of the responsibility for the current situation" and that, following Barnier’s resignation, Macron himself should step down as well.

Monsieur Emmanuel is fighting with all his might and is seeking help from anyone he can. In this regard, the role of organizing Donald Trump's visit to Paris was crucial for him. Video footage and photographs, showing Macron accompanying Trump everywhere, were widely shared. Overall, the French president had ample opportunity to speak with the newly elected U.S. president. How this will ultimately affect Macron’s approval rating and his position in France remains to be seen, but he should not expect any significant or long-lasting effect from demonstrating closeness to Trump.

Unlike Macron, who is struggling to maintain his position and seeking external help, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is gaining respect and influence internationally. This is confirmed by a report from Bloomberg, which states that Bashar al-Assad tried, through an intermediary, to warn Orban about the threat to Christians in Syria if the rebels were to take power. The message was intended for Orban to pass on to the newly elected U.S. president, given his strong ties with Trump. Orban certainly earned special respect in Trump's eyes, as he has always been an active supporter and friend. Indeed, it’s hard to call Orban’s visit to Florida, to meet then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, anything but that of a friend. The European Union had strongly condemned the Hungarian prime minister’s trip at the time, but now, those who were once outraged are seeking ways to show Orban their respect. This is something Macron can only dream of. However, this time, the matter isn’t just about him.

The whole world saw that the French president facilitated Donald Trump's interactions with the presidents of Ukraine and Georgia. He personally introduced Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the newly elected U.S. leader, and they discussed the current situation in the Russia-Ukraine war. This meeting was covered by both Ukrainian and global media. As for Salome Zourabichvili, she made her way to the front row where Trump was seated and informed him of her presence in the hall. After that, Macron had no choice but to facilitate her brief, impromptu conversation with the American president. This meeting was also reported by leading global news outlets.

However, the presence of Nikol Pashinyan and his wife in the same hall went unnoticed by the leading global media. Yes, Macron eventually introduced him to Trump, but those were just fleeting seconds of happiness for the Armenian prime minister. Overall, Pashinyan and his wife became memorable for filming the event in the hall on their phone. Pashinyan, by the way, filmed rather awkwardly. He didn’t fully capture himself on the video, but Madame Akopyan made it into the frame. She was radiating happiness beyond measure. Now, she and Pashinyan will certainly have something to share when they return to Yerevan or Ijevan.

That was the outcome of the Armenian prime minister’s "working trip" to Paris. In essence, at the expense of state funds, he and his wife travelled solely to take photos at Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral and, for just a few seconds, to manoeuvre their way to Donald Trump to shake his hand. However, it seems that Pashinyan is quite content playing an episodic and anecdotal role on the global political stage.