2024 began with aftereffects of Azerbaijan’s brutal attack on Artsakh in September, 2023 that forcibly displaced the indigenous Armenian population there. Suddenly, there was an outpouring of assistance from the West—the European Union and the United States—but not really addressing the fundamental issues related to the Artsakh question—right to self-determination, brutal human rights violations and ethnic cleansing.
Simultaneously, the government of Armenia continued to distance itself from the Artsakh issue, while at the same time providing refuge for the forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians. The overt disdain toward Artsakh from government officials—starting with the prime minister on down—posed challenges for those attempting to garner international attention on the issue and advocate for the right to return of Artsakh Armenians to their homeland.
The Armenian government and the international community also failed to intervene and ensure the release of Armenian prisoners of war and captives being held in Baku on trumped up charges, possibly missing an opportunity at the United Nations Climate Summit, known as COP29, being held in Baku in November.
The escalation of discord between Yerevan and Moscow also deepened, and Russia’s behavior toward Armenia has created an impasse, that, given the fast-advancing developments in the region, has made Armenia a focal point of global geopolitical realities.
Azerbaijan’s continued threats toward Armenia have cast a pall over the peace negotiations between Baku and Yerevan. It is Baku’s growing disregard for international players, namely the EU, France and the U.S., that could set the tone for how the talks will progress.
The Diasporan communities in Lebanon and Syria felt the most shock toward the end of the year, as Israeli attacks on Lebanon jarred the community there and amped up the already volatile situation. With the toppling of the Syrian government and essentially a new—untested—regime taking over, the fate of our already fragile community in Syria, which has endured civil war, an earthquake and other hostilities, hangs in the balance.
The year ended with the fate of the Armenian communities of the Middle East, namely Syria and Lebanon, hanging in the balance, as military conflict in the region dramatically altered the decades-old political landscape with an uncertain future that is sure to impact the Armenians who have been living there.
These and other events in the region have thrust Armenia as a key player in this geopolitical realty that can have a lasting effect for decades to come.
Thus, Armenia’s efforts to reform and advance its defense capabilities continued to be a high point. By strengthening and signing strategic military partnerships with France, India and others, the fortification of Armenia’s Armed Forces can further secure our homeland. This, of course, has also created a new precondition for Baku to hold over Yerevan and continues to stall progress in the talks.
The Armenian communities in the Diaspora, namely the Western U.S., continued to struggle with the complete demoralization that was sparked by the defeat in the 2020 war and its aftermath.
Yet, there has been growing commitment and focus on education, with most Armenian schools acquiring new properties in 2024 to expand the educational opportunities to a growing number of students enrolled in Armenian schools.
What we will be watching is how a new Trump administration will impact Armenia and Armenians.
On the one hand, his vocal opposition to immigration and curbing of services will eventually impact a segment of our community that has newly emigrated to the U.S. or is awaiting citizenship status.
On the international front, some of Trump’s appointees have had a solid record in advancing Armenian issues in Congress and elsewhere. It would be interesting to see how much of that will be leveraged in carving out the U.S. foreign policy, especially as it relates to the escalating conflicts in and around the region and Armenia in particular.
Throughout all these daily developments and advancements Asbarez was on the forefront providing concise and critical information to the community, while marking the 116th anniversary of its founding. This milestone for Asbarez continues to reinforce its role as a venerable and defining institution that informs, empowers and serves the community. Asbarez’s role as the only daily bilingual Armenian publication continued to be felt in Armenia, as our readership there saw an exponential growth.
None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of our community organizations and institutions, our sponsors and supporters and of course, our readers. The sheer volume of work that was produced by Asbarez’s dedicated reporters, writers and editorial and administrative staff deserves your praise and appreciation.
As the world is embroiled in crisis and conflict, the challenges facing our nation are also compounding. Each and every Armenian is a stakeholder in shaping the future of our homeland, which now includes the fate of the displaced Artsakh Armenians that is hanging in the balance.
On behalf of the management of the Armenian Media Network, and the editorial board and staff of Asbarez we wish you a Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. May 2025 bring prosperity to everyone and justice for all Armenians.
