Pashinyan would likely cancel EPC summit if possible, ex-FM says

Former Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said on Monday that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan would likely attempt to cancel the upcoming European Political Community summit in Yerevan if he had the option, arguing that the event has shifted from a potential political asset to a liability.

Oskanian said Pashinyan had initially sought to host a meeting of the European Political Community in Yerevan last year, timing it to take place roughly one month before Armenia’s parliamentary elections. He described the move as a calculated effort to boost domestic political standing by leveraging the presence of European leaders.

“However, what was already a short-sighted decision at the time has now turned into a political burden,” Oskanian wrote on Facebook.

He argued that the summit is now more likely to work against Pashinyan politically, claiming that Armenian voters have grown skeptical of the government’s one-sided pro-European gestures, which he characterized as ineffective and potentially risky.

Oskanian also pointed to a deteriorating regional security environment, including rising tensions involving Iran, which he said have left Armenia in a more vulnerable position. He added that while the European Political Community is not directly involved in regional conflicts, it is broadly perceived as holding unfavorable positions toward both Iran and Russia.

He further referenced a recent meeting in Moscow between Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting that it underscored increasing geopolitical pressure on Armenia to choose between closer alignment with Europe or integration frameworks linked to Russia, such as the Eurasian Economic Union.

“In these conditions, hosting a high-level European Political Community meeting is no longer a political advantage but a risk,” Oskanian said, calling for a more cautious and balanced foreign policy approach.

He concluded that the planned summit, initially intended to serve as a political boost, now risks becoming further evidence of policy missteps that could undermine national interests.