Day: February 12, 2025

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told Washington’s NATO allies that they would have to step up and assume greater responsibility for Europe’s security since the U.S. no longer remains “primarily focused on the security of Europe”. He said “stark strategic realities”, such as U.S. border security issues and threats posed by China are a greater priority. Hegseth also said that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders was unrealistic and the Trump administration does not see NATO membership for Kyiv as part of a solution to the war triggered by Russia’s invasion.

Alen Simonyan: Artsakh Armenians “chose to leave” after Azerbaijan’s attack  Armenian Weekly

YEREVAN—Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has come under heavy criticism following remarks made during a press briefing on February 11. 

Simonyan accused the Armenians of Artsakh of failing to resist Azerbaijan’s aggression in the September 2023 attack. “You left because it was unsafe. You could have stayed and fought until the end but you chose to leave,” he said. He claimed that Artsakh’s people should have defended themselves “with the weapons that the Republic of Armenia had provided in full,” implying that they bore responsibility for their own defense.

Simonyan’s remarks about the struggle of the people of Artsakh, as well as his choice of terminology when referring to the region, have sparked significant controversy within Armenia and among Artsakh’s displaced population.

During the press briefing session, Artsakh journalist Anna Mekunts asked Simonyan when she and other displaced people would be able to return to their homeland. Simonyan responded, “When it is safe.” When Mekunts pressed him further, inquiring about why he continues to refer to the region as “Karabakh” instead of its official Armenian name, “Artsakh,” Simonyan sharply retorted: “I am a politician and I oppose any foreign citizen calling one of my cities by a Turkish or Azerbaijani name. I must uphold a politician’s ethics.”

When reminded that he had previously referred to the region as “Artsakh,” Simonyan conceded, “I was making a mistake.” This response only fueled further criticism, with opponents accusing him of deliberately downplaying the importance of the name “Artsakh” to appease Azerbaijan.

Simonyan’s statements sparked immediate outrage, particularly from those directly affected by Azerbaijan’s full-scale military assault. Former Artsakh Human Rights Defender, Gegham Stepanyan, strongly condemned Simonyan’s remarks, emphasizing that the people of Artsakh fought bravely despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned, and rejecting Simonyan’s suggestion that they did not put up enough resistance.

“In response to the National Assembly speaker, one can cite numerous facts of struggle and self-sacrifice, but all of that is meaningless when we are dealing with immorality, meanness and cynicism on a cosmic level,” Stepanyan wrote on Facebook.

Opposition MP Kristine Vardanyan responded to Simonyan’s remarks by highlighting the extraordinary resistance of Artsakh’s armed forces and civilians, who faced severe shortages and overwhelming military force from Azerbaijan. Vardanyan pointed out that Artsakh residents endured a nine-month blockade—marked by hunger, cold and continuous shelling—before being forced to flee as Azerbaijani forces closed in on Stepanakert. 

“Within hours, the Artsakh Armenians killed at least 203 Azerbaijani soldiers and wounded over 500 others. This figure is five times the official average number of Azerbaijani soldiers killed on a daily basis during the 2020 war. This is how they fought,” Vardanyan said during a parliamentary session.

Her remarks underscored the sacrifices made by Artsakh citizens, many of whom lost family members. “Who were they burying on that last day? Who were they burying when they didn’t even know how to transport their fallen?” Vardanyan asked.

Azerbaijan’s September 2023 attack resulted in the mass displacement of over 100,000 Armenians from Artsakh. Many displaced individuals have expressed frustration with the Armenian government’s handling of the crisis and its ongoing engagement with Azerbaijan. and Human rights groups, including Freedom House, have concluded that the Azerbaijani regime engaged in ethnic cleansing against the Armenian population of Artsakh.

Moreover, Simonyan’s remarks have raised questions about the Armenian government’s stance on Artsakh’s future. Former Artsakh President, Samvel Shahramanyan, strongly condemned Simonyan’s comments, calling for a public apology to the displaced people of Artsakh and urging him to refrain from making such disparaging remarks.

Shahramanyan added that the people of Artsakh did everything in their power to stay in their historical homeland, despite the intense pressure and hardships. “The people of Artsakh fought for their survival. They endured a nine-month blockade and faced full-scale military aggression,” he stated. “However, Simonyan’s remarks are an attempt to dishonor the heroism of the Artsakh people and their leadership, and to distract from the broader issues of political and diplomatic failures that led to their displacement.”

Beyond Artsakh, Simonyan also addressed ongoing negotiations with Azerbaijan during the press briefing. He expressed concern over Azerbaijan’s lack of response to Armenia’s peace proposals, calling it “worrisome.” While reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to peace, he noted that Azerbaijan’s continued refusal to engage in discussions has hindered progress. He added that Armenia would not grant Azerbaijan an extraterritorial corridor but remained willing to allow unhindered cargo transit through the Syunik region.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan published an article this week in Armenpress, addressing the growing claims within Azerbaijan that Armenia is preparing for war. Pashinyan dismissed these allegations, stating that Armenia has no intention of launching an attack.

“The Republic of Armenia is committed to the strategic agreement reached in Prague on October 6, 2022, under which Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he wrote. 

Pashinyan also highlighted that Armenia does not seek to regain Azerbaijani-occupied sovereign Armenian territory through military means, arguing that the border demarcation process offers a “real and substantive possibility” to resolve these issues.

Regarding Armenia’s military reforms, Pashinyan stated, “The Republic of Armenia is reforming its army to defend its internationally recognized territorial integrity,” reiterating that Armenia has no plans to attack Azerbaijan. However, he pointed out that Azerbaijan’s rhetoric and actions—including the “Western Azerbaijan” narrative and increasing militarization—pose security threats to Armenia. 

Outlining the peace process, Pashinyan stated, “The solutions are on the table.” He reiterated Armenia’s proposal for mutual arms control and mechanisms for joint investigations into border incidents, emphasizing that “there is no basis for escalation and all prerequisites for peace have been established.”

Azerbaijan’s government quickly dismissed Pashinyan’s statements as baseless and misleading. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ayhan Hajizadeh, instead accused Armenia of militarization, pointing to Armenia’s rising military expenditures— from $600 million in 2024 to $1.6 billion. Hajizadeh, however, failed to mention that Azerbaijan’s defense budget is set to reach $5 billion in 2025.

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Interview of President Ilham Aliyev with Chinese TV channel – in the focus of Georgian press  Baku.ws