Pashinyan says repatriation of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan remains priority

On 24 August 2026, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan presented the 2026-2031 government program to parliament, citing a 'historic' election outcome and declaring a 'Fourth Republic'. He said the repatriation of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan remains a priority, and named TRIPP implementation a key government priority. He said Armenia will soon begin the process of applying for EU membership and that he would be happy if the CSTO expelled Armenia.

The Kremlin's Peskov called the remarks on expulsion from the CSTO incomprehensible, and the Kremlin said Yerevan is free to leave the alliance. Pashinyan also said Russia's import restrictions are encouraged by the Armenian opposition, and that Armenia is close to ending extreme poverty.