US to grant Armenia $52 million for "democracy support" A move to fast-track Moscow-Yerevan schism

The US government expects to provide Armenia with $52 million in fiscal year 2025 for programmes to "strengthen economic sustainability and democracy".

The statement came from Paloma Adams-Allen, First Deputy Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) while speaking at a briefing for journalists, TASS reports.

"Just to answer your question about Armenia. The budget is $52 million," the USAID deputy chief said. The agency is part of the US State Department. Adams-Allen was asked to comment on planned spending levels for foreign aid programmes, which Washington says aim to "strengthen economic sustainability and democracy".

In a regular briefing for reporters, Matthew Miller, US State Department's spokesman, said that the FY 2025 budget "Supporting Ukraine and Ensuring Russia's Strategic Failure" notes that Yerevan will receive financial assistance to "enhance Armenia's economic and democratic resilience" and ties with the West.

The White House has recently unveiled its proposed federal budget for the fiscal year 2025, which has been sent to Congress. As per the document, the proposed total spending is estimated to be $7.266 trillion, while revenues are expected to reach $5.485 trillion. The budget deficit is projected to be $1.781 trillion.

The leadership of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives warned almost immediately that it would not accept the budget request in its current form. Republicans accused US President Joe Biden, a Democrat, of seeking uncontrolled spending.