Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan today criticized the weaponizing of the 1915 Armenian Genocide by various international players and cited the recent example of Israel.

Pashinyan, addressing Armenia’s new parliament, argued that his administration has removed the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide from its foreign policy agenda for this reason.

On June 28, 2026, the Israeli Cabinet voted unanimously to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, marking a historic shift in its long-standing foreign policy. However, the move has been heavily stalled and scrutinized as a geopolitical maneuver rather than a complete legal recognition.

Following a heavy backlash, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shelved the scheduled Knesset vote, rendering the cabinet decision a "half-measure." 

Pashinyan today said that there is no need to dream about “historical justice, live with national aspirations, or dream about a homeland” because today’s Republic of Armenia is the “homeland of our dreams.”

He lambasted certain international actors for using the “bones of our martyrs” as weapons to strike one another.

“We must put an end to this process of weaponizing the Armenian Genocide, because even if we are naive enough to think that it is a weapon in our hands as well, we have been killed again and again by the shots of that weapon, and we will be killed again and again.”

Pashinyan urged all Armenians to focus their attention and actions on the Republic of Armenia and its security and not search for third-party security guarantees.

Nevertheless, Pashinyan declared that he would be "very pleased" if the Moscow-backed Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) officially expelled Armenia. 

He stated that such an action would help free the country from the lingering dilemma of whether to formally withdraw from the Russia-led military alliance.

Parallel to his CSTO comments, Pashinyan announced that the Armenian government will soon begin the process of officially applying for European Union (EU) membership.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, swiftly reacting to Pashinyan’s remarks, said that if Yerevan believes membership no longer aligns with its national interests, Armenia is entirely free to make the decision and leave the organization rather than waiting to be expelled. Peskov also warned that pursuing EU membership would create "deep legislative contradictions" with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) that would ultimately harm Armenia.