Pashinyan, Trump Hold Phone Conversation
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and president-elect Donald Trump held a telephone conversation, according to a statement released on Saturday.
“Pashinyan congratulated Donald Trump on the victory in the elections and provided him with information about the recent years’ developments and current situation in Armenia-US relations,” the statement issued by the prime minister’s press service said. “Issues related to the regional agenda were also discussed.”
Following Trump’s win on November 5, Pashinyan expressed confidence that under Trump’s presidency relations between Armenia and the United States will further strengthen.
“I am confident that your extensive experience, knowledge, and abilities will serve effectively in promoting the well-being of the American people, advancing U.S. interests, and strengthening the country’s role in the world,” Pashinyan said in a letter addressed to Trump following his election.
“In recent years, the relations between the Republic of Armenia and the United States, grounded in historical friendship, shared values, and mutual interests, have made unprecedented progress,” Pashinyan added. “Of course, the Armenian-American community has also played a role in this progress.”
“I am confident that during your presidency, Armenia-U.S. relations will be further strengthened, and we will continue to achieve new achievements , bringing us closer to realizing our vision of a strategic partnership, ” Pashinyan noted at the time.
In the final weeks of his campaign Trump issued a rebuke of the current administration, including his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris for doing nothing while Artsakh Armenians were forced to flee their homes last year.
“Kamala Harris did NOTHING as 120,000 Armenian Christians were horrifically persecuted and forcibly displaced in Artsakh,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform on October 24. “Christians around the world will not be safe if Kamala Harris is President of the United States.”
“When I am President, I will protect persecuted Christians, I will work to stop the violence and ethnic cleansing, and we will restore PEACE between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” added Trump, who while president during the 2020 Artsakh War continued to supply Azerbaijan with weapons.
The weekend leading up to the November 5 elections, Trump renewed his support for Artsakh and Armenia during a telephone conversation he initiated with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilcia. The Catholicosate’s press office also that while Aram I was on a Pontifical visit to Detroit last month, he met with high-ranking Trump campaign officials, who expressed Trump’s desire to speak to the pontiff.
