KeghartBy Margarita Krtikashyan, Yerevan, 16 January 2025
Armenia is once again at a crossroads, grappling with pressing geopolitical realities and the urgent need to reassess its strategic priorities. The recent developments, including the signing of the Armenia-US strategic partnership document, highlight the precariousness of placing too much faith in external alliances at the expense of internal resilience.
The occupation of Armenia’s sovereign territory by Azerbaijan remains a glaring issue, underscoring the necessity for Armenians to take ownership of their security. As recent history painfully reminds us, sovereignty cannot be outsourced. While international partnerships can provide valuable support, they are no substitute for a robust and independent defense capability. Relying on the U.S., Iran, or Russia to safeguard Armenia’s borders undermines the foundational principle that sovereignty must be self-defended.
The U.S.-Armenia strategic partnership, heralded by some as a milestone, warrants scrutiny. While the agreement discusses defense modernization and tools to safeguard sovereignty, it lacks enforceable security guarantees. Instead, it establishes a joint commission and includes measures like deploying a customs and border control group to “strengthen border security.” These steps, while symbolic, do little to address Armenia’s fundamental vulnerabilities.
Moreover, Armenia’s agreement to join the global coalition against ISIS and explore peaceful nuclear energy collaboration with the U.S. has sparked concerns. While these initiatives suggest a pivot toward broader international integration, they risk entangling Armenia in geopolitical conflicts that do not serve its national interest.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has characterized his foreign policy as balanced, citing deepened ties with France, the EU, and Georgia, and substantive relations with Iran. He also points to a strategic partnership with the U.S. and a visible basis for understanding with Turkey. Yet, these declarations are accompanied by escalating regional tensions and unresolved security challenges. The insistence that Armenia’s relations with Russia remain “practical” appears increasingly at odds with the reality of shifting alliances.
However, Pashinyan’s foreign policy has not produced the desired stability and security. His claims of balance and strategic partnership fall short when measured against the broader geopolitical context. The policy he champions overlooks the very real risks of depending on external powers, whether it is the U.S. or others. His approach is dangerously optimistic, assuming that Armenia can remain neutral or maneuver between powers without jeopardizing its sovereignty and security. This is simply not the case.
The lessons of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war loom large. Then, as now, illusions of strategic partnerships were leveraged to pacify public opinion, obscuring the lack of preparedness for conflict. Today, similar narratives pervade, creating a dangerous sense of complacency. Armenia cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. The belief that external actors will provide protection in times of crisis is misguided and is the very reason why Armenia must prioritize its own self-defense and security structures.
It is critical to recognize that Armenia’s security cannot rest solely on external actors. True sovereignty demands a strong, independent military, a resilient economy, and cohesive diplomatic efforts. International partnerships must complement, not substitute, these pillars.
Furthermore, the geopolitical risks associated with U.S. military involvement near sensitive areas, such as the Iran-Armenia border, cannot be ignored. The removal of Russian forces, framed as a step toward reclaiming sovereignty, risks leaving Armenia vulnerable to broader regional conflicts. The absence of a capable, self-reliant Armenian military could reduce the country to a pawn in global power struggles.
At this pivotal moment, Armenia must prioritize its national interests with clarity and resolve. The path forward requires investing in defense, strengthening state institutions, and fostering unity among its people. Partnerships, whether with the U.S., Russia, or others, must align with Armenia’s long-term strategic objectives, not the agendas of external powers.
Armenia’s sovereignty is its most precious asset. Protecting it demands courage, vigilance, and an unyielding commitment to self-reliance.
Photo on top: Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and US State Secretary Antony Blinken signed a bilateral Charter on Strategic Partnership in Washington on January 14, 2025
Margarita Krtikashyan’s recent articles published in Keghart.org
Turkey’s Immortal King of Pop
The Architect of Modern Turkish Language
The Rhythm of Music in the Hands of Armenians
Աթաթուրքի ստորագրության հեղինակը
Թուրքիայի ստվերային գործողությունները
Զգաստության ժամն է
Ներդաշնակություն տարաձայնությունների մեջ
Հաջորդ տարի Արցախում
Yerevan State University. Her research focuses on cultural policy, the role of music in diplomacy and politics, Armenian-Turkish relations, the issues of Armenians living in Turkey, and the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. She is also interested in religion, culture, and music. e-mail: [email protected]
Keghart
Keghart
6 comments
I agree totally with Margarita Krtikashyan. Most of us do understand that all in all there are only a few countries who are so called independent.
These US false promisses to Armenia, we call them ‘serving mustard after the meal’.
The only solution for Armenia to survive, is to follow the example of North Korea.
Remember, our ancestors said, ‘it’s better to die free, rather than survive on our knees” It’s time to listen.
Thanks for the article, Margarita.
I have nothing good to expect of the “Kaghakatsiakan Paymanagir” (KP) clique. As all three of their “post-Soviet” predecessors, they took power fully obedient to Moscow – how else could an under-educated person like Nikol with a dubious c.v. become the supreme decision maker in a declaratively parliamentary system, except by taking the oath of absolute loyalty to the KGB officers who flew in to see him and Aragats (born Ararat) Mirzoyan during their brief detention during the scenarised spring 2018 events?
Rather rapidly, the LTP strain in KP became evident, and now, without shaking off the Northern yoke, what must now be truthfully rebranded as the “Kemalistakan Paymanagir” régime is ALSO attempting to put Armenia under the Turkic (Ankara-Baku) yoke … and if some more thousands were to vote with their feet and emigrate, so much the better to have a smaller, more docile population.
Anything positive in or for Armenia will happen in opposition to the current régime’s incompetence, self-enrichment greed, blatant lies and ever-readiness to “sell” to the common Armenian the Turko-Russian arguments. Turkish allows the distinction between ETKEN (subject, the active one who does things) vs EDILGEN (object, the passive one to whom things are done). The miserable, unstatesmanlike actions and why not, also the body language of Nikol and his close associates clearly place them in the EDILGEN group, whom neighbours trample at will.
The US, going back to its beginnings, has had an exceptionalist tradition, which has been mostly good but at times not so good for Hayutyun (“Armenité” … no exact English equivalent); the effusive praise of Pashinyan by Mr Blinken and Mme Ambassador of the USA to Armenia put me ill at ease. I would expect the emerging European core power triangle of France-Germany-Poland to be immediately more concerned and involved in Armenia’s sovereignty and long-term viability in the interests of their own countries.
I agree with Ms. Krtikashyan. Policies of any country are shaped on self interests and only self serving interests. With such reality, Armenia should also develop a strong defense and economy that is not dependent on other countries. As we have recently witnessed in Karabakh, Russian forces that were placed in Karabakh did not protect its Armenian population but handed the country to the Azeris. Therefore, we have to understand, once and for all, we can not depend on any country but on ourselves.
Ared Misirlyan.
What counts is that, America became greater and richer again, with a new lap dog and a Trump Tower will rise up in Turkiye very soon for the Russian tourists.
I would like to congratulate Ms Margarita Krtikashyan, for her effort to update the Armenians in Armenia and the diaspora about the critical period our fatherland is facing. The detailed article clearly describes the complex and dangerous period we live in and the efforts of the current government is making to secure the country against aggression from our neighbors. There is no alternative to becoming self reliant, as far as defense of the country is concerned, Unfortunately, many of the people who criticize the actions the current government is taking to increase the security of the country ignore several important aspects of building vibrant, prosperous and strong country. Such a task needs time, money and dedicated vigilant people to make sure these assets are used in an efficient way. Many of the commentators ignore the fact that Armenia is a small country. The country’s economy has just started to have a positive impact on the livelihood of the population thanks to significant increase in the government revenue.
Despite the small budget, the country is meeting several challenges. The welfare of Artsakh refugees, expend the economy, procure advanced armament, training of the military on their proper use and making the country less vulnerable to Russia’s unreliable and unpredictable behaviors. Since rebuilding the military takes time, the country leaders are establishing and strengthening the country’s links with friendly Western European countries and USA. These countries are assisting in temporarily filling the security gap left from decrease reliance on Russians.
Krtikashyan’s article unfortunately fails to mention the positive impact of collaboration with EU countries. She is concentrating on the negative of the new collaborations, like many people biased against the current leaders of Armenia. While emphasizing the potential adverse effects of moving the country away from Russia, she and many of the commentators to the article fail to recognize the fact that despite the budgetary restraints, the said leadership is procuring arms from from friendly countries as fast as possible to make sure that the military has the arms and the training necessary to defend the country. It should be emphasized that the opposition should play an important role by remaining vigilant to make sure that the money is spent for the purposes it was allocated for rather than fill the deep pockets of the few elite.
Great article. Thank you.
We the people resent these false promises for total slavery of the Armenian Nation.
And yet, should we/can we blame the colonialist “odars” for pressuring the lead puppets in Armenia?
Or resolve and act to replace the puppets, with dedicated Armenian leaders like Njdeh.
Easier said than done?!