Pashinyan's 'peace era' is permanent capitulation, political analyst says

Armenian political analyst Suren Surenyants has criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s claim that the government has fulfilled its pledge to usher in an era of “peaceful development”, arguing that the policy amounts to permanent capitulation rather than genuine peace.

In a social media post following Pashinyan’s meeting with members of the Armenian community in St. Petersburg, Surenyants said on Friday the concept of peace has been fundamentally redefined since the government’s 2021 program.

At that time, “peaceful development” was framed as a substantive and goal-oriented peace, encompassing not only a halt to hostilities but also continued political efforts on Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), restoration of security systems and protection of state interests, he said. Officials had also alluded to scenarios involving the de-occupation of Shushi and Hadrut and even potential independence for Nagorno-Karabakh.

Surenyants said the current use of the term now refers merely to a relative calm along the border, unsupported by a peace treaty, completed border delimitation, legal obligations or international guarantees.

“The absence of shooting is not peace when it is achieved through unilateral concessions,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan has secured most of its objectives, including Nagorno-Karabakh, while retaining the ability to make new demands.

He described the government’s approach as based on continuous retreat rather than mutual commitments or deterrence, warning that Armenia is losing its negotiating agency a “permanent capitulation model”.