Helsinki Commission Hearing – Supporting Armenia’s Democracy and Western Future

In July, bipartisan leaders from the Helsinki Commission, including members from both the House and Senate, along with other senior members of Congress, visited Armenia to observe firsthand the results of the country’s democratic progress and its increasingly pro-Western orientation. During their visit, they acknowledged Armenia’s challenging strategic situation but were also impressed by the nation’s resilience, its role as a democratic beacon in the region, and the strong sociopolitical consensus in favor of a European future.

The visit aimed to explore how the United States and Congress could support Armenia in its ongoing democratic journey, help secure its sovereignty, and assist in finalizing peace and normalizing relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

On September 10, 2024, the Helsinki Commission held a hearing featuring several key witnesses: Dr. Dan Baer, Senior Vice President for Policy Research at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE; Ms. Olesya Vartanyan, a South Caucasus security expert; and Mr. Tigran Grigoryan, President and founder of the Regional Center for Democracy and Security in Yerevan. The hearing, including their testimonies, contributed to the ongoing dialogue on how to support Armenia’s democratic and geopolitical goals.