Tigran Abrahamyan, a parliamentarian from the I Have Honor faction, commented on Facebook about the recent trend of European states, including some with professional armies, raising their military budgets and even debating the return of compulsory service.
He questioned: “Why are countries with no real risk of war seeking to modernize their weapons and strengthen combat readiness?”
Abrahamyan argued that the answer is clear: “They all understand that diplomatic success is primarily based on modern security mechanisms and strong, combat-ready armies.”
By contrast, he accused Armenia’s authorities of relying on “Turkish-Azerbaijani assurances and simply enjoying ‘peace.’”
Meanwhile, Armenia’s Ministry of Defense has proposed reducing mandatory military service from two years to 1.5 years starting with the summer 2026 draft. The ministry expects the measure to lower conscription-related costs from 2028 onward, as the 18-month term for those drafted in mid-2026 will end by December 31, 2027.
