Elections in Armenia: pro-West or pro-Russia?
Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping that the vote will bolster his pro-Western course. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump declared his "full and unconditional support" for Pashinyan. Meanwhile, Russia is stepping up the pressure on Yerevan by imposing import bans on Armenian goods and threatening to disrupt supplies of natural gas.
Trump working against Moscow this time
La Stampa discusses Trump's backing for Pashinyan:
“Until now, in elections in Eastern Europe, Trump has almost always sided with the staunchest pro-Moscow nationalists – Viktor Orbán in Hungary, the right-wing Călin Georgescu and George Simion in Romania, and pro-Kremlin groups in Moldova that have tried to import the slogan 'Make Moldova Great Again'. But it's different with Pashinyan. … For the first time, Trump is backing a prime minister who, after years of dependence on Russia, is trying to lead Armenia into the EU. However, Trump hasn't suddenly become the president for EU enlargement; in this case, his interests just happen to coincide with a decline in Russian influence. Trump talks about peace, prosperity and access to Central Asia for US energy companies.”
Destined to be a Turkish province
The state-run agency RIA Novosti predicts Armenia's downfall if it turns away from Russia:
“The West's interest in Armenia (including as a pawn in its game with Russia) will fade, while Russia will remain. Not only as a neighbour, but as its destiny and its only chance of preserving Armenian statehood. ... Will the EU let Armenia become a member? This is a bad joke because it will never happen. Will the US protect the country from Azerbaijan or Turkey? This is even more ludicrous. If Armenia turns its back on Russia, it will not only lose a market and an economic partner – it will lose its future. More precisely, it will exchange it to become a province of a new Turkish empire.”