Armenia prepares for an election that could reshape ties with Moscow and the West

Armenia’s election is being framed as a geopolitical choice — incumbent PM Nikol Pashinyan (likely to win) is pushing westward toward the EU/US, while many opposition parties favor closer ties with Russia.
The West has dangled concrete benefits — U.S.-brokered peace steps, potential energy projects and a €50M EU support package — as incentives for closer EU/U.S. alignment.
Russia has pushed back with warnings, trade bans, pressure over energy and infrastructure dependence, and accusations of interference in Armenia’s politics.