New year… new challenges. A call for enlightenment, awakening, unity, and responsibility

By Vahe Andonian

As Armenians around the world prepare to welcome the year 2026, it is customary to exchange heartfelt greetings—raising a glass with long wishes of “Genats,” always concluding with the timeless benediction:

Peace to the whole world – Խաղաղութիւն Համայն Աշխարհին

This New Year, however, is different. Well-wishes alone are no longer sufficient.

Armenia stands at a dangerous crossroads—one that demands national clarity, moral courage, and political resolve.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation has always maintained that nations do not survive by chance, but through organized will, justice, and sacrifice. The state is a tool of the nation, not an end in itself. When the state is severed from national purpose, it becomes an empty structure.

In recent years, this painful truth has become unmistakably clear. Territorial losses, the dismantling of Armenia’s defense system, the loss of Artsakh, the forced displacement of its Armenian population, and the systematic weakening of national institutions are not isolated mistakes—they are the consequences of a defeatist mindset. More recently, Nikol Pashinyan’s pursuit of external financial and political backing to preserve internal power has further eroded Armenia’s sovereignty, dignity, and independence.

Equally vital is the defence of the Armenian Apostolic Church…the cornerstone of our historical memory, identity, and national unity. The attacks demanded by Turks and carried out by Nikol and his circle against the Armenian Church represent a direct assault on our collective dignity, statehood, and civilizational continuity.

As the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin recently affirmed through His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; “We do not interfere in political affairs; we defend the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church against enemies and provocateurs.”

The resolute stance of the faithful people prevented a planned encroachment against the Mother See, demonstrating once again that unity and moral conviction can halt anti-national agendas.

Justice is an indispensable condition for national survival. Until historical and contemporary crimes committed against the Armenian people, particularly by Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey and other sponsors, are acknowledged and condemned, reconciliation is impossible. Peace without justice is hollow.

A just and lasting peace with Turks must include recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the right of self-determination of the people of Artsakh, and the safe and dignified return of forcibly displaced Armenians to their ancestral homelands. These are not negotiable points; they are national obligations.

The gravity of Armenia’s internal crisis is now echoed beyond our borders. As reports emerge of a possible high-level United States visit to Armenia in early 2026, voices abroad have cautioned that any engagement must be grounded in truth, accountability, and respect for fundamental values. These concerns mirror those voiced within Armenia itself: the surrender of Artsakh, the abandonment of Armenian prisoners and hostages, the suppression of civic activists and journalists, and the escalating campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church. No partnership… foreign or domestic can endure if it is built on denial, dependency, or the erosion of national dignity.

Nikol’s pursuit of financial backing from external circles, particularly Europe, to maintain power and “win or rig” elections constitutes a direct blow to Armenia’s sovereignty. When a country’s leader bases his authority on foreign money and patronage, he forfeits both independence and democratic legitimacy. This is no longer politics—it is dependency. And in such decisive moments, silence becomes complicity.

History teaches us that reconciliation among European nations after centuries of conflict was achieved not through denial or submission, but through acknowledgment of wrongdoing, the establishment of justice, and principled cooperation. Armenia must draw the appropriate lesson, prioritizing national interests, safeguarding sovereignty, and rejecting foreign dependence.

This New Year confronts us with a clear choice: do we stand with Armenia, or do we resign ourselves to decline?

The 135-year legacy of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) reminds us that the national covenant always demands accountability. Defending the state, safeguarding the Church, and uniting the nation are inseparable responsibilities.

This may well be a final call. The Armenian people and national political forces are obligated to openly condemn Turkish collaborator Nikol and his circle, and to defend Armenia’s sovereignty, dignity, and national future.

Let us stand with Armenia…

for our history, 

our people,

our future depend on it.