EU and Russia clash as Armenians head to the polls, Putin fumes
AI Summary
Armenia held parliamentary elections Sunday as voters decided the country's geopolitical future, with incumbent PM Nikol Pashinyan seeking closer ties to the European Union and United States while Russia deployed economic coercion—including boycotts of agricultural exports and threats to energy supplies—to preserve its influence over the former Soviet republic. Pashinyan appeared positioned to win despite Russian pressure tactics, with the vote also addressing peace negotiations toward longtime rival Azerbaijan. The election crystallized a broader East-West competition for influence in the South Caucasus.
Armenians are voting on Sunday in parliamentary elections as the incumbent government, under mounting Russian pressure, seeks to loosen ties with Moscow and deepen cooperation with the West.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his ruling Civil Contract party are looking for a strong mandate for a new geopolitical course. The opposition they face includes some parties that are vocally pro-Russian.
Casting his vote on Sunday, Pashinyan said that Armenia would continue strengthening its...