Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Monday that normalizing relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan is key to completing Armenia’s policy of balanced foreign relations, adding that progress with its neighbors would create new opportunities for the country.
In a video message posted on Facebook and cited by Armenian media outlets, Pashinyan said Armenia’s foreign policy is based on maintaining balanced relations with other countries and argued that the absence of ties with Turkey creates an imbalance that needs to be addressed.
“I am convinced that we will achieve the goal of normalizing relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey,” Pashinyan said. “This will create new opportunities for Armenia to become a state of a new quality.”
Pashinyan said Armenia needs relations not only with Turkey and Azerbaijan but with all countries, describing diplomacy as a necessity rather than a political preference.
Pashinyan also spoke about Armenia’s relations with Russia, saying ties are undergoing a period of transformation as the two countries adapt to changing circumstances. He said his government remains committed to working within the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), adding that Armenia still sees unused opportunities within the bloc.
He also dismissed calls for a referendum on whether Armenia should leave the EAEU and pursue integration with the European Union, saying the issue is theoretical because Armenia has not yet applied for EU membership.
Pashinyan said Armenia has expanded its diplomatic outreach in recent years, establishing relations with countries including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan after 2022. He said increasing the number of international partners helps reduce risks and gives Armenia greater flexibility in foreign policy.
Armenia has in recent years sought to diversify its foreign policy amid tensions with Russia, its traditional security partner, while maintaining economic cooperation through the EAEU and deepening ties with Western countries.
Armenia and Turkey do not have formal diplomatic relations, and their shared border has been closed since 1993 because of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh with Turkey’s strategic partner, Azerbaijan. The two countries launched a process of normalization in 2021, restoring direct flights and appointing special envoys, but have yet to reach a comprehensive agreement.