YEREVAN — Armenia has spent 5.4 times more on the purchase of weapons and military equipment during 2022–2025 than it did over the two decades from 1998 to 2018, according to Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.
Speaking during a National Assembly Q&A session, Papikyan stated:
“During 1998–2018, under two presidents, significantly less was spent on the army over a 20-year period than during 2022–2025. In fact, during my tenure alone, 5.4 times more has been spent on military procurement than during those two decades.”
Addressing concerns from opposition figures who claim that the current government has neglected the military while focusing on peace, Papikyan responded:
“Look at the numbers and ask yourselves—what were you doing during that time?”