The South Caucasus stands once again at an ideological crossroads, between memory and modernity, between the pursuit of global relevance and the preservation of identity. The region has long been shaped by powerful currents: empire and independence, foreign influence and national revival. Yet today, a new question dominates the horizon: should nations abandon their inherited identity to align with the global order, or strengthen it to shape their own destiny?

This is not merely a political or diplomatic dilemma. It is a civilizational test, one that determines whether small nations can remain true to their own history while engaging with the world that often demands conformity. The 21st century’s version of “progress” increasingly asks societies to transcend tradition, to dissolve national spirit into a uniform global identity. But for nations built on memory, culture, and historical struggle, such transcendence may amount to self-erasure.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has become known for his unconventional statements. His latest remarks, however, reach beyond politics — into the very idea of identity itself. Speaking about regional perceptions, he claimed that Armenians’ attitudes toward Türkiye and Azerbaijan were not genuine but inherited from Soviet propaganda.

“When we say, ‘Turks never change,’ in Türkiye they say the same about Armenians. When we say, ‘How can we trust Azerbaijan?’ they say the same about Armenians. When we say, ‘We have learned nothing from history,’ they say, ‘You have learned nothing from history if you want peace with Armenians,’” Pashinyan said.

According to him, Armenian society must “liberate itself from the worldview shaped for us by KGB agents.”

It is a bold statement, but also a revealing one. In his pursuit of progressive ideals, Pashinyan openly........

© AzerNews