Armenians vote in general election watched closely by Russia and the West

AI Summary

Armenia held parliamentary elections on Sunday as a geopolitical referendum, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan—leading in polls—seeking to strengthen ties with the European Union and United States while loosening Armenia's traditional dependence on Russia. Russia responded by applying economic coercion, including boycotts of Armenian goods and threats of gas cutoffs, to maintain its influence over the former Soviet republic.