Pashinyan's Western Pivot Is All Optics, No Congressional Buy-In
You can't build a long-term US relationship by alienating the Armenian diaspora. That's exactly what Pashinyan is doing.
Armenia’s pivot toward the West, framed as a breakthrough strategic realignment, is built on a fragile foundation. Arakelian identifies a critical structural flaw: the strategy relies almost entirely on the executive branch, has no congressional authorization or guaranteed funding, and has been actively undermined by Pashinyan’s hostility toward diaspora organizations.
This matters because American foreign policy decisions with long-term implications require congressional buy-in. TRIPP, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, exemplifies the risk. While the executive branch can stand up development entities and commit some funding, major capital flows and strategic permanence require congressional support. Congress, in turn, responds to constituent pressure from diaspora communities. By marginalizing ANCA and hostile diaspora groups critical of his record on Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), Pashinyan has weakened the very political coalition that could anchor his Western strategy.
Arakelian notes that Trump’s endorsement of Pashinyan during the 2026 elections was ‘a marriage of convenience, not of love’-Pashinyan had actually backed Biden. This suggests the relationship is transactional rather than foundational. For Armenia to succeed in pivoting westward, it would need to rebuild relationships with its diaspora, secure congressional support across both parties, and develop a strategy that survives changes in US administrations. Instead, it is pursuing the opposite path, putting itself at the mercy of executive whim.
Transcript
Christine Arakelian: Because they're already basically being committed through a Russian infrastructure. So fundamentally, for the US not to rethink what needs to happen and trip in light of what's happening with Iran, and to simply use it as a resource extraction corridor, you miss the boat. You missed the boat. Now, does that mean that people in the US are going to listen? No. Could be the Armenian government not going to listen, but I think it's incontrovertible that Pashinyan arresting people, seizing private assets, irrespective of whether you support democracy in Armenia or not, is not a winning formula for attracting private investment.
Asbed Bedrossian: So, Christine, what you said was quite concerning because TRIPP relies on the U.S. executive at present, and we know that Trump is actually theoretically in his last term. So in another two years, he may be gone. Is there any kind of congressional buy-in into this project? Is there visibility of this project, the TRIPP project, in any of the other branches of the government here in the United States?
Christine Arakelian: So look, I've had a number of meetings on Capitol Hill. I don't want to say that they have no knowledge of TRIPP. That would be an exaggeration.
Asbed Bedrossian: But is there a buy-in? They may be aware, but have they bought into it?