Pashinyan: Armenia's 2026 defense spending will be lower than in 2025

Armenia may reduce defense spending in 2026.

As Report informs, this was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on September 10 in parliament.

Pashinyan noted that defense spending in 2026 will have natural growth compared to 2024.

"We do not plan to increase defense spending in 2026 compared to 2025, but instead plan to reduce it," said the Prime Minister.

Pashinyan added that in 2025, Armenia significantly increased defense spending compared to the 2024 budget.

"This increase was due to certain urgent needs. We made significant defense expenditures and directed part of them to repay future obligations, including in the defense sector. We considered it appropriate to reduce debts and loans that we were supposed to repay, for example, in 2030 or 2035," Pashinyan noted.

In Armenia, defense spending in 2025 increased by 20%, amounting to 664 billion drams ($1.71 billion).