Nikol Pashinyan is in the news after Armenia’s recent tensions with Azerbaijan; he's been PM since 2018, a former journalist turned politician.
Armenia and the US signed a multibillion-dollar nuclear energy agreement, marking a shift from reliance on Russia. US Vice President Vance's visit also focused on regional peace and infrastructure projects, including a new transit corridor connecting Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. The deal aims to diversify Armenia's energy sources amid regional tensions.
U.S. Vice President Vance visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, describing it as an honor to victims. An initial social media post calling it a 'genocide' was deleted after staff error. The incident highlights sensitivities around the term and U.S.-Turkey-Armenia relations.
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict escalated as Vardanyan, a key figure in Nagorno-Karabakh, was convicted on 19 charges including war crimes and terrorism. He was sentenced after a closed-door trial, amid regional tensions and mass Armenian displacement following Azerbaijan's recent military offensive.
Armenia's parliamentary elections are shaping up as a contest between pro-European candidate Nikol Pashinyan and Russian-aligned opponents, amid concerns over foreign influence. Hungary's recent election has resulted in Peter Magyar winning a landslide, promising to unlock EU funds and restore Hungary's ties with Brussels, ending Viktor Orbán's long rule.