Armenia braces for election as Russia piles pressure on pro-West government

Armenia braces for election as Russia piles pressure on pro-West government 30 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Rayhan Demytrie Caucasus correspondent, Yerevan, Armenia Getty Images For ordinary Armenians heading to the polls on 7 June, the economic costs of turning away from Russia will be front of mind Armenia votes on 7 June under mounting Russian economic pressure, as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeks re-election on a promise of European integration. The election has drawn significant international attention to the small South Caucasus nation of three million people, which has steadily grown closer to the West while still intertwined with Russia, its largest trading partner. The rapprochement with the West is largely Pashinyan's doing. Since coming to power in 2018, the prime minister has steered his country away from Moscow, passed a law to launch the process of joining the EU, and accelerated the peace process with neighbouring Azerbaijan via a US-brokered agreement. The latter has won him US President Donald Trump's endorsement. Pashinyan also hosted a large summit of EU leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the capital, Yerevan, earlier this year. Pashinyan's critics have never forgiven him for giving up Nagorno-Karabakh Yet despite these successes, Pashinyan's domestic support has fallen from 54% in 2021 to around 30% today. The main reason is Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave inside Azerbaijan that was home to 100,000 ethnic Armenians until Azerbaijan took it by force in 2023. Pashinyan's critics have never forgiven him for making concessions in favour of peace with Azerbaijan, like refusing to campaign for the release of former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh who are in jail in the neighbouring country. The peace deal with Azerbaijan, too, remains deeply divisive, with one recent poll showing 44% of public opinion in support and 41% opposed. Getty Images Nikol Pashinyan's main challenger is billionaire Samvel Karapetyan (right), who made his fortune in Russia Pashinyan's critics now form several opposition parties and alliances. Two of these are led by former presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan - both associated with the pre-2018, Russia-aligned order. Both argue that restoring deep military and economic ties with Russia is Armenia's only path to national security. And Pashinyan's main challenger is billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who made his fortune in Russia. He is under house arrest - accused of plotting to overthrow the government - and is conducting the campaign through his nephew. The latest International Republican Institute poll shows Pashinyan's Civil Contract leading with 32%, while around 40% of voters say they trust no political figure. If the opposition candidates worked together, they could match Pashinyan's vote, but divided they cannot beat him. Russia's economic weapon Over the vote looms Moscow. Last month, Vladimir Putin listed the economic benefits Armenia stood to lo