Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated on Friday that another Azerbaijani military assault on Armenia is unlikely, citing the finalization of a peace agreement between the two countries in March.
“Today we have the opportunity to contribute to a peaceful and prosperous future for our region,” Pashinyan declared in a statement marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. “The draft Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been agreed upon and is ready to be signed. We are committed to that path.”
“Despite internal and external provocations, there will be no war between Armenia and Azerbaijan—there will be peace,” he added.
However, the path to peace remains fraught. Azerbaijan has made the signing of the treaty contingent on several conditions, including a revision of Armenia’s constitution. Just last month, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev warned that failure to meet these demands could lead to “a new military confrontation.”
Shortly after the agreement’s text was finalized in March, Baku began accusing Yerevan of ceasefire violations along the border—allegations Armenia denies. Residents of Armenian border villages have reported near-daily gunfire from Azerbaijani positions since then.
Opposition leaders in Armenia argue that these accusations are part of a broader strategy by Aliyev to either justify renewed aggression or extract additional concessions from Pashinyan. They contend that Aliyev has no intention of signing the deal without securing those concessions.
During a visit to Turkey in mid-April, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan expressed skepticism about Baku’s intentions, suggesting Azerbaijan “just doesn’t want to finalize the normalization process” and has no genuine interest in building peace. Speaking again on Friday after commemorating World War II victims in Yerevan, Mirzoyan reiterated concerns over Baku’s ongoing preconditions.
“Unfortunately, we continue to hear conflicting statements from the Azerbaijani side,” he said. “There’s no breakthrough yet, but the dialogue continues. As with any negotiation, patience is key—perhaps there will be positive news soon.”
Earlier in the week, Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan noted that “very active discussions” are underway between the two governments, though he declined to provide further details.
Pashinyan’s critics at home remain deeply skeptical of his approach. They argue that his policy of appeasement has only emboldened Aliyev, allowing Azerbaijan to escalate its demands. Many believe that Pashinyan is eager to secure a flawed peace deal not to benefit the country, but to bolster his political standing and cling to power.
