Breaking
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched another military aggression—accompanied by war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and acts of genocide—that resulted in the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Artsakh Armenians from their historical homeland. The causes of this displacement are deep and multifaceted. They stem from the 44-day war of 2020, including the targeting of civilian settlements and the killings, abductions and executions of civilians. They are also rooted in the ten-month blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which led to starvation and lack of livable conditions, as well as fear, despair, and mass human rights violations.
CSI Statement: Anniversary of Ethnic Cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh
French National Assembly to Host Conference on Artsakh Two Years After Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Cleansing
To mark two years since Azerbaijan’s large-scale military attack on Artsakh, resulting in ethnic cleansing and mass displacement of Armenians, a conference will be held at the French National Assembly. Initiated by Emmanuel Mandon, vice-president of the France-Armenia friendship group, the event aims to raise awareness, document atrocities, and discuss political and legal prospects for the region. Participants will include deputies from France and Switzerland, Council of Europe representatives, local officials, diplomats, academics, and journalists.
U.S. Commits $145 Million to Launch TRIPP Transit
Route Through Armenia Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Brendan Hanrahan, Senior Bureau Official for the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs have productive discussions on regional connectivity and economic investment. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien also attended the meeting.
Armenian Prisoners in Baku: Reports of Suicide Attempts and Hunger Strikes
Armenian media are reporting suicide attempts and hunger strikes among Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijani jails. News of the incidents emerged after phone calls with their families.
Even after the Washington agreements, where both sides pledged not to stir hostility, Aliyev returned home and immediately insulted Armenians, calling them ‘enemies’ and a ‘sick society’. He continues to demand changes to Armenia’s constitution, even though that is an internal matter.
Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh and Genocidal Policy
Three Years Since Azerbaijan’s September Aggression against Armenia: Lives Taken, Territories Occupied, Justice Denied
On September 13, 2022, Azerbaijan launched a large- scale military assault against the Republic of Armenia, leaving 224 Armenians dead — including women subjected to unspeakable brutality. Disturbing evidence of torture and mutilation was proudly circulated online, highlighting the deliberate cruelty of these crimes. In addition to the human toll, more than 240 square kilometers of Armenia’s sovereign territory in Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, and Syunik remain under occupation. Three years on, the victims demand remembrance, and the perpetrators must face justice.
Vatican Signs New Agreements with Azerbaijan Amid Ongoing Concerns of “Caviar Diplomacy”
By Edgar Beltran
The Vatican this week signed several new collaborative agreements with Azerbaijan’s government, the latest in a series of controversial arrangements with a government accused of ethnically cleansing Christian minorities within its territory. Church observers have expressed concern about the Vatican’s willingness to engage publicly with the Azeri government, suggesting it could be falling prey to “caviar diplomacy,” a term used to describe the Azeri approach of using cultural restorations, economic investments, and other strategies to curry favor with foreign officials.
Catholicos Karekin II Meets Pope Leo XIV to Discuss Karabakh Armenians and POWs
Report: Ethnic Armenian Village of Tagavard in Nagorno- Karabakh Nearly Wiped Out
The ethnic Armenian village of Tagavard in Nagorno-Karabakh is now almost entirely destroyed. After Azerbaijan demolished around 38 homes in 2021, the remaining houses have since collapsed.
Driven by Fear from Nagorno-Karabakh
Preserving Artsakh’s Culture Through Food and Storytelling
Writer and producer Nyree Abrahamian’s new cookbook, Artsakh: A Taste of Home, captures recipes and personal stories from families displaced by the 2023 Karabakh ethnic cleansing. Through food and narrative, Abrahamian emphasizes kitchens worldwide as spaces of cultural memory and resistance against erasure.
Photo of the Week
Brendan Hanrahan, Senior Bureau Official for Europe and Eurasia at the U.S. Department of State, visits the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, laying flowers at the eternal flame in remembrance.
Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia.
Security
Armenia, U.S. Deepen Cooperation; Trump Route and Security Reforms Discussed
Minister Arpine Sargsyan and U.S. official Brendan Hanrahan discussed peace efforts, security cooperation, and support for police reforms, including a new cyberlaboratory.
Armenia, NATO Ready to Deepen Cooperation
NATO PA Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan Opens New Horizons in Public Diplomacy
Armenian FM Discusses NATO Partnership, Peace Efforts in Yerevan Meeting
Armenia’s Foreign Policy Revolution
Armenia’s heavy reliance on Russia is coming to an end as Yerevan works to extend relationships and repair once- shattered regional ties.
Frontline Observers: On Patrol with the EU Mission in Armenia
By Michele Grestani
Ritter, a seasoned German police commander, brings nearly three decades of international experience. He has overseen Federal Border Police at Frankfurt International Airport and coordinated police work in conflict zones including Kosovo, Georgia, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Iraq.
Fewer border skirmishes have become a decisive factor in stabilizing the political environment: “When I met with Pashinyan and Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia [in July], they told me, and they say it publicly, that our presence makes a difference,” Ritter notes.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos Begins Two-Day Visit to Armenia
Kos’s trip highlights EU support for regional peace, interconnectivity, and development amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations. Her agenda includes meetings with top Armenian officials, civil society groups, and the signing of key EU-funded projects.
Armenia and EU Advance Ties with Focus on Visa Liberalization
Armenian and EU Ambassadors in Washington Discuss Deeper Ties
Economy
Subsoil Security: The State of Mining and Armenia’s Mineral Wealth
By Gibran Caroline Boyce
For decades, Armenia’s mining sector operated in the background of the post-Soviet country’s politics. Its mineral wealth is mostly controlled by Russian companies. But as the world races toward clean energy and Armenia distances itself from Moscow, this subsoil industry has become a cornerstone of the nation’s aspirations for economic sovereignty and national security.
U.S. and Armenia Expand Tech Cooperation
Senior Bureau Official Hanrahan met Armenian officials and U.S. tech firms Firebird and NVIDIA to strengthen Armenia’s role as a regional tech hub. The talks build on the August 8 Memorandum on AI and semiconductor innovation, deepening U.S.–Armenia collaboration.
American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia Celebrates 25 Years of Business Leadership and Innovation
Armenia Increases Contribution to World Bank’s International Development Association by 30%
Armenia Concludes Two-Year Term on International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors
Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan highlighted Armenia’s constructive role during its two-year tenure on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), emphasizing diplomacy, dialogue, and mutual respect. Armenia reaffirmed its strong support for the IAEA’s mission and pledged continued cooperation with international partners.