Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan said the 2026 state budget reflects a natural continuation of defense spending, responding to concerns about a slight decrease compared to 2025.

“There is nothing unusual here. The only exception was 2025, when defense expenditures sharply increased. If we compare with 2024, we see a normal pace of development,” Papikyan said.

He stated that Armenia will continue military reforms based on its needs, including ongoing weapons procurement and equipment modernization. He added that the August eight peace agreements signed in Washington are a reality that “will naturally have consequences” for defense planning.

Papikyan also reported progress in the new military uniform reform. Thousands of prototype field uniforms will undergo testing before full procurement and rollout.

Asked about potential arms contracts or military assistance agreements with the United States, the minister did not disclose details but said cooperation is developing positively. “I will not say anything more,” he noted.