By Levon Baronian
The so-called “peace treaty” being forced upon Armenia by Nikol Pashinyan is nothing more than a document of surrender, a culmination of years of betrayal that was evident shortly after the start of his rule. This is not a treaty that secures peace for the Armenian people; rather, it is a set of preconditions dictated by Azerbaijan and Turkey, designed to strip Armenia of its sovereignty, its historical rights, and its dignity.
From the very beginning, those who understood the weight of history and the geopolitical realities of the region warned that Pashinyan’s reckless policies would lead to catastrophe in Artsakh, that his subservience to foreign powers would endanger Armenia’s territorial integrity, and that his ideological capitulation would undermine our national interests. Every warning issued has been vindicated, yet the consequences continue to worsen.
Capitulation of National Interests
The essence of the “peace treaty” is the unconditional acceptance of Azerbaijani demands. It does not address Armenia’s borders, it does not secure the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from sovereign Armenian territory, and it does nothing to ensure the safe return of the forcibly displaced Armenians of Artsakh. Instead, it legitimizes Azerbaijani aggression and sets a dangerous precedent for further concessions.
Pashinyan’s government has gone as far as to abandon Armenia’s pursuit of Genocide recognition as a foreign policy priority. In a disgraceful interview with Turkish media, he downplayed the importance of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, suggesting that Armenia must focus on “peace” instead. This is not peace—it is submission. His approach is a betrayal of the millions who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire and of the generations who have fought to ensure that their suffering is not forgotten.
At the same time that Pashinyan praises normalization with Turkey, Turkish officials make it clear that Armenia must first capitulate to Azerbaijan’s demands before any real progress can be made. Turkish President Erdogan’s advisors explicitly stated that normalization will not happen until a treaty with Azerbaijan is signed. In other words, Armenia is being blackmailed, and Pashinyan willingly plays along.
A Manufactured “Peace”
What Pashinyan calls peace is actually the institutionalization of Armenian weakness. Under this so-called treaty, Azerbaijan will face no consequences for its war crimes, for its ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, or for its ongoing threats against Armenia. Azerbaijan will not be forced to return Armenian prisoners of war, nor will there be guarantees against future Azerbaijani aggression. Instead, Armenia is being pressured to change its Constitution, hand over more land, and erase its national identity to fit within a framework dictated by Baku and Ankara.
The warning signs were there from the start. The moment Pashinyan’s government set out to rewrite Armenia’s education system, stripping national history and identity from school curricula, it was clear that a larger agenda was at play. Students and academics protested the dangerous reforms that sought to erase Armenian historical consciousness and national identity under the guise of modernization. What began as an attack on Armenia’s educational foundation has now culminated in a full-scale betrayal of the nation itself.
Pashinyan hid his true intentions. Early in his tenure, he called for the unification of Armenia and Artsakh, a move that initially appeared to be a show of national unity. But even that was a ploy. By making such a statement without securing diplomatic and military backing, he effectively invited Azerbaijan to attack, dismantling the fragile peace negotiations and giving Baku the pretext to launch a full-scale assault on Artsakh. His recklessness cost Armenia dearly, leading to the devastating war of 2020 and the forced displacement of Artsakh’s Armenians.
Real peace cannot come through submission. A true peace agreement must secure Armenia’s territorial integrity, ensure the rights and security of Artsakh’s Armenians, and establish firm guarantees against Azerbaijani expansionism. What is currently being pushed forward does none of these things. Instead, it serves the interests of Armenia’s enemies and legitimizes the results of Azerbaijan’s genocidal campaign against Artsakh.
A Betrayal Without Limits
It is now beyond any doubt that Pashinyan has abandoned his responsibility to defend Armenia. His refusal to acknowledge the strategic depth of Armenia’s historical claims, his dismissal of Armenia’s national dignity, and his utter failure to protect Armenian interests all point to the fact that he is actively working against the Armenian nation. His insistence that he is merely the “leader of today’s Republic of Armenia,” rather than the representative of Armenia’s historical and national aspirations, confirms his detachment from the Armenian Cause.
This reality was apparent to those who understood the risks posed by his leadership shortly after the start of his rule. His ideological approach was never about strengthening Armenia—it was about systematically weakening it from within. The rewriting of Armenia’s educational system, the stripping of national identity from institutions, and the slow but deliberate dismantling of Armenia’s sovereignty were all part of a broader plan to transform Armenia into a pliant, subservient state that would accept dictated terms from Ankara and Baku.
Pashinyan’s treachery knows no bounds. If he is allowed to sign this so-called peace treaty, he will be remembered as the man who surrendered not only Artsakh but also Armenia’s very future. This is not peace—it is a death sentence for Armenia’s sovereignty.
This betrayal cannot be allowed to stand. The Armenian people must act before Armenia is reduced to nothing more than a vassal state under Turkish-Azerbaijani control. The writing was on the wall shortly after the start. Now, the question remains—will Armenia allow itself to be led to its demise, or will it rise up to reclaim its sovereignty before it is too late?
