U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed a draft framework agreement on U.S.-Armenian cooperation over the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity and signed a memorandum on critical minerals and rare earths during Rubio's one-hour visit to Yerevan, Armenpress reported May 26.

Russia has issued increasingly stern warnings over Armenia's Western outreach and threatened to raise Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) at the bloc's upcoming summit in Astana on May 28-29. Recent polling shows Pashinyan's Civil Contract ahead, with the May IRI survey putting the ruling party at 32%, and the Russia-leaning parties Strong Armenia at 7%, Armenia Alliance at 4% and Prosperous Armenia at 2%. A separate Gallup/MPG poll put Civil Contract at 28.8% and the three main pro-Russia opposition forces at a combined 35.7%.