In this week’s episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian digs into the hyperbolic reactions from Russia and Azerbaijan to the recent EU/US-Armenia summit. Through analysis of official statements and media coverage, he decodes the fear and outrage directed against Armenia’s deepening partnerships. Eric also summarizes the significance of the first visit of the president of Kazakhstan to Yerevan.
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Trump avoids ‘Genocide’ in April 24 statement
By Paul Vartan Sookiasian In his April 24th statement, U.S. President Donald Trump once again declined to use the term “genocide” to describe the 1915 killing of more than one million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. This language mirrors his statements during his first term, but marks a departure from his successor Joe Biden, who consistently used the term “genocide” starting with his first statement in 2021. Biden’s choice of language aligned with bipartisan resolutions passed by the U.S. House in 2019 and the Senate in 2020. Instead, Trump referred to the events as the “Meds Yeghern,” an Armenian phrase […]
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Rethinking Armenia and the diaspora
This week marks the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In this week’s episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian looks at the legacy of 1915: a powerful yet divided diaspora and a struggling nation-state locked in a dysfunctional relationship. In his discussion of Armenia-Diaspora relations, he explores how ties became so broken, why they matter now more than ever, and what it will take to repair them.
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Erdoğan’s power grab and the myth of Turkish democracy
In this interview, political scientist Cengiz Aktar unpacks how Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s arrest of Istanbul’s mayor as part of a long-term strategy to retain power challenges the myth of Turkish democracy. In his discussion of Turkey’s shifting role in the region, Aktar argues that Ankara is increasingly reliant on Azerbaijan due to economic necessity. In addition, he expresses skepticism about the durability of an Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization deal given Baku’s maximalist demands and authoritarian governance.
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Yerevan hosts Ice Hockey World Championship, Division IV
The 2025 International Ice hockey Federation World Championship returns to Armenia for the first time in 15 years. After being suspended from the Federation in 2010, Armenia has reclaimed its place in the ice hockey scene with Yerevan hosting Division 4 of the Championship. Armenia’s national team also racked up an impressive record during the week-long tournament.
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EU monitors confirm Azerbaijani damage to civilian infrastructure in Armenian
By Alexander Pracht Observers from the European Union Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA) recorded damage to civilian infrastructure in the Armenian border-straddling village of Khoznavar in the southern Syunik region as a result of gunfire, the mission announced Monday. “Over the Easter weekend, EUMA conducted 27 day and night patrols in its Area of Operation including villages Khoznavar, Khnatsakh and Aravus. In Khoznavar, EUMA observed the impact of two shots damaging civilian infrastructure, possibly originating from an Azerbaijani position in the area.,” the statement said. The Armenian Defense Ministry reported on Monday that Azerbaijani forces had opened fire in the […]
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State-Sponsored Hate: How Armenia’s Ruling Party and Pro-Government Media Target
By Tigran Grigoryan and Aram Tadevosyan Following the March 29 rally organized by displaced Artsakh Armenians in Yerevan’s Freedom Square, the Armenian authorities and their affiliated media have continued a sustained campaign of hate speech and defamation against the participants. The primary cause of the demonstration was the government’s decision to scale back a social assistance program that covered housing expenses. During the rally, speakers also addressed the right of return and other related issues. The scale of the hate campaign targeting Artsakh refugees by Armenian officials and pro-government media outlets has grown to such an extent that it underscores […]
