What’s behind Russia’s hostile response to Armenia’s deepening ties with EU?
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A Fresno woman recalls her father, an Armenian genocide survivor | Opinion
Throughout my childhood, living in the Armenian community of Fresno, I grew up in the silent shadow of the 1915 genocide, the systematic destruction and annihilation of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian Christians living in the Ottoman Empire.
Somehow, my 27-year-old father, Paul, and his uncle, Hampartzoom, who was 25, escaped into the desert and were found by the American Red Cross. That humanitarian organization played a major role in saving refugees.
Though I knew of the Armenian genocide, it was never openly discussed in my home.
My father’s story
My father and my maternal grandparents were born in Kharpert, (also known as Harpoot), a city built on a rocky hilltop with a castle overlooking the plains below. Historically, it was part of the Ottoman Empire, positioned near the Euphrates and Murat rivers. Once heavily inhabited by Armenians, this ancient city dates back to 2000 BC and served as a center for Armenian culture in the region. Today, the area is considered a historic district in modern-day Turkey.
Some Armenian refugees from Kharpert escaped into the mountains, as my father and his uncle did. They found their way to Marseilles, and with the help of the Red Cross, boarded a ship to Ellis Island.
My father and Uncle Hampartzoom settled first in Detroit. My father learned English and worked as a grocery store butcher. After a few years, he and his uncle reconnected with relatives in Fresno. They decided to relocate here, forming a tribe of extended family for us Armenian-American kids.
By 1930, my father had found work as a butcher at Hanoian’s Market in Fresno’s “Armenian town” on Railroad Avenue. There, he met my mother, Melania, who shopped weekly with her parents. A match was made, and they married in 1940, moved to a farm in Kerman and had me and my two siblings.
The American Dream was a reality, and my father and his uncle were forever grateful for the opportunities their new life provided. For my father, that dream was marrying, buying a vineyard and raising a family.
Armenians in Fresno
Today, recent figures suggest that approximately 30,000 residents in Fresno are of Armenian descent — the second, third and even fourth generation of genocide survivors, making it one of the most significant Armenian communities in the United States.
Though my father never talked about the horrors he witnessed, other Armenians shared accounts of young men chased by Turks on horseback with sabers drawn and struck down as they fled. I also heard stories of pregnant women killed with soldiers’ swords and of Turkish soldiers herding women and children into an Armenian church — including my father’s mother — locking the doors and setting it on fire.
Armenian families were also forced to march into the desert, dying from starvation, some choosing suicide. The primary destination of these death marches was Deir ez-Zor, a city in the heart of the Syrian Desert. It served as the central hub for concentration and annihilation camps, and where deportees were left to die of starvation, dehydration and disease.
No discussion of the past
No one in my family talked about the past, about living in the “old country.” It was as if their lives began when they arrived in America and earned their citizenship, something my father was most proud of and which I became aware of when he helped me study for my eighth-grade Constitution test.
My father and uncle built a new community of near and distant relatives, though I’ll never know whether we were bound by blood or by the overwhelming grief born of the mass killings of 1915–1916 and the broader campaign of persecution and violence that continued through 1923.
Being the child of a survivor — of one who escaped but forever felt the loss of his mother, father, brothers and sisters — I carry his sadness with me to this day.
Now retired, Pauline Sahakian taught AP English at Clovis and Buchanan high schools as well as composition and teacher education at Fresno State. She was the founding director of the UC Merced Writing Project.
https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article315631402.html
https://www.aol.com/news/fresno-woman-recalls-her-father-130000055.html
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Not a Word About Shushi: Nikol Pashinyan’s Message
Today marks the victory of the Soviet Union and Western allies in World War II, which is celebrated in our country as the Holiday of Victory and Peace. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote about this on his Facebook page, noting that we are celebrating May 9, 2026, under the conditions of peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“In the Second World War, civilized humanity said no to fascism. The Armenian people made a visible contribution to this cause, with more than half a million representatives fighting against fascism in the Soviet as well as Western Allied armies and underground resistance groups. This struggle and contribution have been highly appreciated in a number of countries.
We meet on the 81st anniversary of the victory over fascism in difficult international conditions. We are obliged not to forget the disasters that fascism brought to humanity and to condemn this phenomenon in all its manifestations. Today, we bow our heads before all those martyrs who gave their lives to save humanity from fascism. Today, we also pay tribute to all the countries and people who fought against fascism.
Dear people, dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia, we celebrate May 9, 2026, under the conditions of peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan. For two years now, we have had neither casualties nor wounded as a result of Armenia-Azerbaijan gunfire; our border settlements live in an environment free from shootings. This is the most important achievement that we have had for the first time since the independence of our country.
Today, our task is to take proper care of the achieved peace in order to make it stronger and more reliable every day. The established peace is a historical opportunity for our country to bring it to a previously unseen level of security, prosperity, and development.
Today, we are confidently walking that path, and a developed, free, safe, prosperous, and democratic Republic of Armenia is the greatest tribute to the memory of all the martyrs of our people of all times, and the service that we must provide to our citizens and generations. We will pay our tribute; we will provide our service.
Glory to the martyrs and long live the Republic of Armenia,” the message reads.
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Is Armenia finally breaking with Russia? [COMMENTARY]
The first-ever EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan on May 4-5 coincided with the eighth summit of the European Political Community (EPC), meaning the gathering drew not only EU officials but also leaders from across Europe—unlike last year’s EU-Central Asia summit in Samarkand.
Also attending were NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The show of presence angered Moscow.
Wojciech Górecki
The author is an analyst at the Warsaw-based Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW).
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What six months in Armenia revealed to this photography duo
May 9 2026
What six months in Armenia revealed to this photography duo
In this landlocked country in the South Caucasus, the culinary culture and winemaking traditions are rooted in the land and shaped by a millennia-old history.
Published May 9, 2026
Armenia’s dining culture is shaped by its agricultural heritage of high-altitude farming.
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Verelq: PAP members paid tribute to the Great Patriotic War
On the instructions of the chairman of the “Prosperous Armenia” party, Gagik Tsarukyan, today in more than 100 settlements of the Republic of Armenia, the representatives of the party paid tribute to the memory of the heroes who died for the defense of the homeland in the Great Patriotic War and Artsakh.
Many events were organized in accordance with the Council of the Day, in which the veterans of the Great Patriotic War also took part. Wreaths were laid and flowers were bowed in the large and small communities of all marzes of the republic in memory of the fallen and victorious heroes.
The purpose of the initiative implemented on the instructions of Gagik Tsarukyan was to emphasize once again the importance of preserving historical memory, respect for heroes and patriotic upbringing of the young generation. Such events are not only a tribute to our heroes, but also an important message to future generations so that the value of peace and the price of victory are never forgotten.
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Verelq: And who is Nicole, what merit does she have to evaluate the Artsakh movement?
And who is Nicole, what are her values, what is her merit before the state and the motherland, to evaluate the Artsakh movement, was it right, was it wrong, what is Artsakh… and so on… and so on.
Why do you get under his agenda, legitimize it, why do you make his agency theses an agenda for discussion?
There is nothing to add. he knows the media agenda very well, he sets the agenda for you, he follows the instructions of his superiors and he gets things done.
Every time, again and again.
Political scientist Alen Ghevondyan
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Armenpress: Developed, secure, democratic Armenia is the greatest tribute to
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan released a statement on May 9, Victory and Peace Day, saying that Armenians made a significant contribution to the fight against fascism during World War II and stressing the importance of condemning fascism in all its manifestations.
In his message, Pashinyan stated that Armenia is celebrating May 9, 2026, under conditions of peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He noted that for the past two years, there have been neither casualties nor injuries resulting from Armenia-Azerbaijan gunfire.
Below is the full statement published by the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Dear people, dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia,
Today marks the Day of Victory of the Soviet Union and the Western Allies in World War II, which is celebrated in our country as Victory and Peace Day.
In World War II, civilized humanity said no to fascism. The Armenian people made a significant contribution to this struggle, with more than half a million Armenians fighting against fascism in the Soviet and Western Allied armies, as well as in underground resistance groups. That struggle and contribution have been highly appreciated in many countries.
We are celebrating the 81st anniversary of the victory over fascism under difficult international conditions. We are obliged not to forget the disasters fascism brought upon humanity and to condemn this phenomenon in all its manifestations.
Today we bow our heads before all the martyrs who gave their lives to save humanity from fascism. We also pay tribute to all the countries and peoples who fought against fascism.
Dear people, dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia,
We celebrate May 9, 2026, under the conditions of peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan. For two years now, there have been neither casualties nor injuries resulting from Armenia-Azerbaijan gunfire. Our border settlements live in an environment free from shootings. This is the most important achievement our country has recorded for the first time since independence.
Our task today is to properly safeguard the peace we have achieved and make it stronger and more reliable every day. The established peace is a historic opportunity for our country to reach an unprecedented level of security, prosperity and development.
Today we are confidently moving along that path, and a developed, free, secure, prosperous and democratic Republic of Armenia is the greatest tribute to the memory of all the martyrs of our people throughout history, as well as the service we must provide to our citizens and future generations.
We will pay that tribute, we will provide that service.
Glory to the martyrs, and long live the Republic of Armenia.”
Published by Armenpress, original at
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Armenian Parliament Speaker sends congratulatory message on Victory and Peace
Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Alen Simonyan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of Victory and Peace Day.
The message, published by the Parliament’s press service, reads:
“May 9 is a day of remembrance, respect, and peace. Today, we remember and pay tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives in the fight against fascism. The Armenian people also made a significant contribution and a dignified participation in that struggle: tens of thousands of Armenians fought on different fronts and as part of the Allied Forces for the peaceful future and freedom of humanity.
Today, in a complex and unstable geopolitical environment, it is more important than ever to preserve peace, strengthen statehood, and continue building a secure, democratic, and stable Armenia. Although the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan is now a reality, it also requires care and attention.
Congratulating on Victory and Peace Day, I wish the Republic of Armenia peace and prosperity, so that from now on we’ll speak about wars only in the context of the past and history.
Glory to martyrs!”
Published by Armenpress, original at
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