Surik Papikyan Calls on Citizens to Form Groups and Familiarize Themselves with Acquired Armament

Defense spending has seen a significant increase since 2023, stated Armenia's Minister of Defense, Surik Papikyan, from the podium of the National Assembly. "While there appears to be a certain disbalance between 2025 and 2026 at first glance, there is actually a clear balance in place. When we compare the budget allocated for defense spending in 2024 to that planned for 2026, we can see a fairly normal increase occurring between the years 2023, 2024, and 2026," said Papikyan.

He noted that a real disbalance occurred in 2025, in favor of the Ministry of Defense. "Given the regional developments, we have preferred to execute future expenditures in 2025, which has resulted in this 'gap'—something that is not unusual, but rather a natural occurrence that a capable government would undertake," he added.

The Minister of Defense also addressed citizens, urging them to form groups and become acquainted with the acquired military resources. "If our citizens have familiarized themselves with the Prime Minister's statement, they can form groups, and we will be able to introduce them to both local and acquired military resources," he stated.