Armenia's Election is America's Fight | Opinion
Summary
Armenia’s upcoming June 7 parliamentary elections will decide if a U.S.-backed peace deal with Azerbaijan continues. The deal is important because it would give the U.S. control over a key trade route and access to valuable minerals, reducing reliance on China. Russia is actively interfering in Armenia’s politics to support its favored candidate.Key Facts
- Armenia has about three million people and is located in the South Caucasus region.
- In early 2024, U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visited Armenia to promote strategic partnerships and investments.
- President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s reelection on social media.
- The U.S.-brokered peace deal with Azerbaijan includes a trade corridor mostly controlled by the U.S. called the TRIPP corridor.
- This corridor is part of a plan to access rare earth minerals from Central Asia and reduce dependence on China’s exports.
- Russia has carried out covert operations in Armenia, including using a PR firm and intelligence officers to influence local politics.
- Moscow supports Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian-Armenian billionaire, as its preferred candidate in the election.
- Russian state-linked entities have financed Karapetyan and maintained close ties with Russian intelligence services.
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