Armenian News - NEWS-am presents the daily digest of related top news as of 11.04.22:

During a Moscow press conference following talks with visiting Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan, Lavrov accused the United States and France, the two other Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, of Russophobia and canceling anything that has to do with Russia.

Lavrov claimed that the U.S. and France stated that they wouldn’t work with Russia in the Minsk Group format.

Meanwhile, the Armenian side said their perceptions about the format of the OSCE Minsk Group are different from the Russian opinion.

According to Eduard Aghajanyan, chair of the parliament’s permanent commission on foreign relations, the Armenian side received assurances of readiness to work in this format from all three co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“We received positive signals from the Russian side, a readiness to continue in this format. And, in fact, we received the same willingness through separate contacts from our colleagues both from France and the United States,” he said.

Eduard Aghajanyan added that during these separate contacts, the US and France, however, noted that this period creates certain difficulties and difficulties in terms of negotiating at the same table with their Russian partners.

“And I assume that the opposite side may have the same problem,” he said.

When asked if this does not mean that it is necessary to look for a new format, he added that the relevance of the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group should in no way be called into question.

Amid such discussions, French Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Brice Roquefeuil arrived in Armenia today.

There are also unofficial reports that the US side may also visit Armenia soon.

FM Ararat Mirzoyan received Brice Roquefeuil and the sides discussed recent developments in Karabakh and the role of Russian peacekeepers stationed there.

Mirzoyan said that Baku is pursuing a policy to ethnically cleanse the area of Armenians, as evidenced by recent Azerbaijani military incursions, and stressed the need for Azerbaijani troops to return to their previous positions.

Mirzoyan presented Armenia's position on the start of negotiations with Azerbaijan over a possible peace agreement, emphasizing the mediation role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the process.

  • The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell has spoken about a military solution to the Ukraine war.

“This war will be won on the battlefield,” Borrell said.

He also noted that additional €500 million from the EPF are underway. Weapon deliveries will be tailored to Ukrainian needs.

Meanwhile, the Russian side has criticized this statement noting that Borrell “has confirmed the EU’s commitment to a military solution to the Ukraine war.”

According to Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, Josep Borrell’s statements on Ukraine “significantly change the rules of the game.”

Lavrov also called irrefutable the facts that the Russian side provided during the military special operation in Ukraine.

  • Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, said on Saturday he would hand over the questionnaires for European Union membership to authorities in Georgia and Moldova on Monday.

Varhelyi added the questionnaire had already been given to Ukraine on Friday by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.

The EU Commissioner explained the questionnaires would help the European Commission to prepare opinions on EU applications of the applicant countries.

  • In late February, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) suspended all deliveries to customers in Russia. In the light of recent events and of European Union sanctions, the company will now suspend its affected business with customers in Russia indefinitely. Ericsson is engaging with customers and partners regarding the indefinite suspension of the affected business.

The priority is to focus on the safety and well-being of Ericsson employees in Russia and they will be placed on paid leave.

  • The manager of the zipline at Yeraz Park in Yerevan, had slipped and fallen while helping a customer in a tragic accident.

Referring to the tragic incident that took place there Sunday, the manager of the aforesaid park, Hamlet Vardanyan noted that Hayk Grigoryanhad died after falling from the 7-meter-high zipline cabin. He sustained injuries, was taken to a hospital where, however, he could not be saved.

He was taken to a hospital where, however, he could not be saved.

The manager of Yeraz Park added that the area of this zipline had been leased to Hayk Grigoryan for about a year now.

The police are preparing materials on this tragic incident.

  • Projected results in the presidential election show Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen going into a tight run-off after topping the first round. Follow all the official results as they come in, department by department

Emmanuel Macron has won the first round of the French election and far-right rival Marine Le Pen will fight him for the presidency for a second time.

"Make no mistake, nothing is decided," he told cheering supporters.

In the end, he won a convincing first-round victory, but opinion polls suggest the run-off could be much closer.

Ms Le Pen called on every non-Macron voter to join her and "put France back in order".

With 97% of results counted, Emmanuel Macron had 27.6% of the vote, Marine Le Pen 23.41% and Jean-Luc Mélenchon 21.95%.