Armenia Holds Pivotal Election Amid Tensions With Moscow

YEREVAN, June 7 (Bernama-dpa) -- A closely-watched parliamentary election is being held in Armenia on Sunday, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hoping to secure another five-year term in office amid tensions with Russia, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

Some 2.5 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the South Caucasus republic, which has expanded ties with the European Union in recent years, much to Moscow's displeasure. 

The main points of contention are future relations with long-standing adversary Azerbaijan and its patron Turkiye, as well as Armenia’s stance in the conflict between Russia and the West.

In 2023, Yerevan suffered a painful defeat in the dispute over the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians were forced to flee following Azerbaijan’s violent conquest of the territory, with the opposition accusing Pashinyan of betraying the national interest.

Another point of contention is the rapprochement with the EU, which the prime minister enshrined in law in 2025. This has put Yerevan on a collision course with Moscow.

It remains to be seen, however, whether threats from the Kremlin and measures taken by the Russian government, such as the import ban on Armenian flowers and foodstuffs, will help or hinder the pro-Russian opposition in the country.

Pashinyan has received backing from the US government under President Donald Trump. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a special stopover in Yerevan to sign a bilateral cooperation agreement.

-- BERNAMA-dpa