U.S. State Department: Only Armenian Citizens Should Decide Armenia’s Political Future

WASHINGTON, DC — The United States supports “Armenia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence, including Armenia’s right to determine its own foreign policy and international relationships,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in an exclusive comment to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Armenian Service.

Responding to questions regarding reports of foreign interference in Armenia’s June 7 elections and warnings issued by American lawmakers, the State Department emphasized that Armenia’s political future should be determined solely by its citizens.

“We are aware of media reports concerning foreign interference in Armenia’s political processes,” the spokesperson said. “The Armenian people have the right to choose their leaders and shape their own future.”

The State Department also highlighted the growing partnership between Yerevan and Washington and the importance of the TRIPP initiative, whose framework agreement was signed by Armenia’s foreign minister and, days earlier, by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan recently stated that the agreement is now ready for ratification.

“As demonstrated by the Secretary of State’s recent visit to Yerevan, TRIPP has significant long-term importance for promoting peace and prosperity in Armenia and across the South Caucasus,” the spokesperson said.

Earlier this week, while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary Rubio expressed concern about Russia’s activities in Armenia.

“The Russians are not particularly pleased with our engagement,” Rubio said. “I believe there is evidence that they would prefer the current prime minister to lose the election because of Armenia’s growing relationship with the United States.”

While emphasizing that U.S.-Armenia relations have reached an unprecedented level, Rubio stressed that Washington’s objective is not to pull Armenia away from its other partners but to support its ability to pursue an independent foreign policy.

“Simply put, we are not there to violate Armenia’s sovereignty. We are not asking them not to be friends with other countries. We simply want to have a relationship with them,” he said.

Rubio’s remarks come amid a series of reports published in recent weeks suggesting that Russia has intensified efforts to prevent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s re-election.

According to a Reuters investigation published at the end of May, Moscow fears that a Pashinyan victory could further strengthen Armenia’s alignment with the West and weaken Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus.

Citing five Western intelligence officials and related documents, Reuters reported that Russian efforts allegedly included attempts to bolster pro-Kremlin candidates and discussions about relocating Armenians living in Russia to Armenia in order to vote against Pashinyan.

According to the report, Russian authorities estimated that transporting approximately 100,000 voters to Armenia would cost around $50 million. Reuters noted, however, that it could not determine whether the plan had been implemented or whether it would have been sufficient to significantly reduce the large polling gap between the leading candidates.

Western analysts interviewed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty argued that Russia views Armenia’s deepening ties with the West as a strategic challenge.

“There is extensive documented evidence that Russian disinformation networks and media outlets are highly active regarding Armenia’s elections,” said Michael Hickari Cecire, a defense and security researcher at the RAND Corporation. He added, however, that such efforts often have limited impact and are unlikely to fundamentally alter election outcomes.

“Recent polling suggests there remains considerable public confidence in the current government’s conflict-resolution efforts, while skepticism toward Russia remains strong,” he said. “This indicates that Armenia’s population is becoming less susceptible to Russian information campaigns.”

According to the RAND analyst, Moscow’s long-term objective appears to be preventing Armenia from moving closer to Western institutions.

“Russia is undoubtedly seeking to keep Armenia within its so-called sphere of influence, particularly by obstructing Armenia’s European partnerships,” Cecire said.

A similar view was expressed by Andrew D’Anieri, Deputy Director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council.

“At this moment, I do not consider Russia’s interference strategy particularly effective,” D’Anieri told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. “However, it is absolutely true that Moscow wants Pashinyan to lose and is trying to apply every form of pressure against Armenia—economic, informational, diplomatic, and otherwise.”

“The United States and the European Union are doing a great deal to promote Armenia’s prosperity, peace, and democracy,” he added. “Now it is up to Armenians to decide whom they will elect.”

As Armenia prepares to vote, Washington’s message remains clear: the country’s future should be determined by the Armenian people themselves.