A Rusia le nació otro aliado rebelde. Armenia, su socia histórica, inició un proceso de distanciamiento de Moscú y de fuerte acercamiento a Europa, lo que abrió serios interrogantes sobre el futuro de las relaciones bilaterales ruso-armenias.

El partido del primer ministro armenio, Nikol Pashinián, ganó ampliamente las recientes elecciones legislativas en su país con la promesa de afianzar su convergencia con la Unión Europea e incluso con Estados Unidos. En Moscú ya se encendieron todas las alarmas.

El partido oficialista Contrato Civil obtuvo un 49,8% de los votos con una amplia ventaja sobre la alianza Armenia Fuerte del multimillonario ruso-armenio Samvel Karapetián, que alcanzó el 23,3%, según cifras oficiales.

La oposición pidió anular los comicios por supuestas irregularidades y el arresto de activistas. Teme que el gobierno armenio oficialice pronto su intención de iniciar un proceso de adhesión a la UE.

¿Qué está pasando en Armenia?

El país, de mayoría católica, atraviesa un momento histórico difícil.

Hace tres años perdió en una guerra relámpago el disputado enclave de Nogorno Karavaj (Artsaj para los armenios) a manos de su vecino Azerbaiyán. La población local debió huir y refugiarse en Armenia. No fue el primer conflicto armado por ese territorio, pero las autoridades se sintieron abandonadas por Rusia, que mantenía tropas de paz en la región. Acusan a Vladimir Putin de no hacer absolutamente nada a pesar de las estratégicas relaciones bilaterales de más de dos siglos para no dañar sus vínculos con los azeríes.

Desde entonces, la relación entre Ereván y Moscú no fue la misma. Pashinián, en el poder desde 2018, inició un proceso que muchos analistas compararon con la “perestroika”, la reforma política y económica que terminó por disolver la Unión Soviética. Pero el principal plato fuerte de este vuelco político fue su acercamiento con el mundo occidental y una velada intención de adherirse a la UE en el futuro.

“Todos vemos lo que está ocurriendo ahora con Ucrania (…) ¿Cómo empezó todo? Con el intento de Ucrania de unirse a la UE”, advirtió Putin en mayo.

El distanciamiento entre estas dos exrepúblicas socialistas soviéticas llevó a algunos analistas a alertar sobre el peligro de que Armenia se convierta en una nueva Ucrania, invadida por Rusia en febrero de 2022 y cuya guerra se extiende desde hace más de tres años.

Oleg Ignatov, analista de asuntos rusos del Crisis Group, una ONG especializada en la resolución de conflictos, dijo a TN que estos “son casos completamente diferentes. Hay muy pocos rusos étnicos en Armenia, por ejemplo”.

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“El conflicto entre Armenia y Rusia se está desarrollando no por las elecciones, sino porque, desde la perspectiva del Kremlin, el liderazgo de Armenia —a la que Moscú considera su aliado militar y geopolítico— decidió cambiar por completo su política exterior en medio de la guerra en Ucrania”.

Para el analista, “este conflicto podría seguir escalando”.

Rusia anunció sanciones comerciales contra Armenia

De hecho, Rusia llamó a consultas a Moscú a su embajador en Armenia, Serguéi Kopirkin, a finales de mayo. ¿La causa?: “Las medidas adoptadas por el liderazgo armenio para acercarse a la Unión Europea, las cuales son perjudiciales para la cooperación dentro de la Unión Económica Eurasiática (UEE)”, según la Cancillería rusa.

El Kremlin fue contundente: Armenia debe elegir entre la Unión Económica Euroasiática, liderada por Moscú, o la Unión Europea. Incluso llegó a exigir un referéndum nacional.

No solo la presión viene desde la retórica diplomática. También hubo sanciones. En los últimos días, Moscú prohibió la totalidad de las importaciones de productos sujetos a cuarentena procedentes de Armenia. Se trata de bienes agrícolas, forestales o animales sometidos a medidas de bioseguridad para prevenir la introducción o propagación de plagas y enfermedades.

La lista incluye flores, verduras, frutas, bayas, cereales, tabaco y madera, entre otros productos.

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“Rusia se toma muy en serio las amenazas de revocar las preferencias comerciales para Armenia”, dijo Ignatov.

Según el analista, “Pashinian tiene la oportunidad de calmar las cosas ahora que han terminado las elecciones”.

“La retórica preelectoral es una cosa, la política real es otra. En Europa no se habla de la integración de Armenia en la UE. Se trata más bien de una cuestión a muy largo plazo. El propio Pashinian lo reconoce. Por lo tanto, Armenia no tiene motivos para deteriorar sus relaciones con Moscú en este momento, y creo que Pashinian tomará algunas medidas para apaciguar la situación”, indicó.

“Diálogo y diversificación económica”

Hovhannes Virabyan, embajador de Armenia en la Argentina, dijo a TN que su país “ha seguido en los últimos años una política exterior activa y equilibrada”.

“En este marco, también ha establecido asociaciones estratégicas con diversos países, incluidos varios Estados miembros de la Unión Europea y los Estados Unidos. Estas asociaciones están orientadas al desarrollo del diálogo político y a la diversificación económica, y se fortalecen mediante importantes proyectos mutuamente beneficiosos, visitas de alto nivel y diversas iniciativas”, sostuvo.

“Sin embargo —advirtió—, esto no se lleva a cabo a expensas de las relaciones con otros socios ni en contra de ellos. Armenia aspira a mantener relaciones de cooperación mutuamente beneficiosas con todos los países, sobre la base de los principios de soberanía y respeto mutuo, en función de los intereses nacionales del Estado armenio”, concluyó.

La gran duda es saber si Putin permitirá que otro aliado histórico regional abandone el ala del Kremlin para acercarse a la UE y, por ende, quedar más cerca de la OTAN.

Rainn Wilson, best known for playing Dwight Schrute on hit sitcom «The Office,» says partisan hypocrisy on both sides of the political aisle is fueling America’s divisions, while arguing that cancel culture has stifled modern-day comedy.

Wilson told Fox News Digital that cancel culture, a result of growing political divisions, has damaged the ability for a comedy in a show like «The Office» to thrive and be acceptable in today’s society.

«I do feel like you couldn’t make The Office today,» Wilson said. «I think that would be too hard to be as politically incorrect as the show was. And I do, I do kind of miss that.»

He explained how, despite that both his character and actor Steve Carell’s role as Michael Scott, were purposely portrayed as lacking «self-awareness» and «a boob,» the humor still would not fly or be viewed as socially acceptable in today’s society.

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«We milked that for a lot of great, really inappropriate stuff,» Wilson said. «But even with the fact that painting that character as just an idiot, I don’t think you could get away with it today.»

Aside from comedy, Wilson said one of the biggest drivers of America’s political dysfunction is what he described as partisan hypocrisy, with both Republicans and Democrats quick to condemn misconduct of the opposing party while overlooking similar behavior on their own side.

Wilson used the response to Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner’s list of growing scandals throughout his campaign as an example, specifically citing the reaction to his Nazi tattoo as racist or religious discrimination.

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Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, points to a covered tattoo that was previously recognized as a Nazi symbol during an interview in Portland, Maine, on Oct. 22, 2025. (WGME via AP)

«The political right is all up in arms about that ‘Oh, he’s a racist, see,’» Wilson explained. «But they won’t look at their own side when people show racist tendencies or say racist things. And it’s the same on the left. They’re willing to overlook the Platner Nazi tattoo, but if it was someone from the other side that had a tattoo that was questionable, they would be all over MSNBC about it.»

«It’s the hypocrisy that gets me the most. It’s the hypocrisy of like, both sides need to have, kind of, equal standards of behavior.»

Despite his concerns about political division, Wilson argued that faith and spirituality remain one of the country’s most overlooked sources of common ground.

«There’s not any topic that has more commonality and mutuality than spiritual ideas,» Wilson said.

«The ideas around spirituality have kind of been weaponized in terms of the national discussion, but actually the two sides have more in common than you would think.»

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Rainn Wilson addresses a Capitol Hill press conference in Washington, D.C., as part of an effort promoting dialogue across political and ideological divides. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Wilson made the remarks while appearing on Capitol Hill alongside Reps. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., and Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and religious leaders for the public release of A Common Endeavor: Realizing the Promise of America, a five-part letter backed by leaders of the Baha’i faith that works to bridge political polarization and focus on shared American values.

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«The partisan divide and toxic partisanship, and corruption in partisanship, is something that the American people are very passionate about,» Wilson said. 

«The people want this fixed. There is an outcry from people. They want it fixed.»

President Donald Trump on Saturday made an 11th-hour endorsement in a crucial Senate race in battleground Georgia, which is among a handful that will likely decide if the GOP holds its slim majority in the chamber in November’s midterm elections.

Trump endorsed Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a MAGA champion and strong supporter of the president, who is facing off in Tuesday’s runoff election against former college football coach Derek Dooley, who has the support of popular conservative Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

The winner of the GOP Senate nomination will face off in the midterms against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Republicans view Ossoff as the most vulnerable Senate Democrat seeking re-election and are heavily targeting the first-term senator.

Collins, who represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, which is located between Atlanta and Augusta, is the son of the late Rep. Mac Collins, and is the founder and co-owner, along with his wife, of a trucking company.

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He and Dooley, a lawyer, a former University of Tennessee football coach and the son of legendary University of Georgia head football coach Vince Dooley, were the top two finishers in a crowded field of candidates that also included Rep. Buddy Carter. Since no one topped 50% in last month’s primary, Collins and Dooley advanced to Tuesday’s runoff election.

While Collins has long showcased his MAGA credentials and support for the president, Trump remained neutral in the Georgia primary and runoff election until now.

Meanwhile, Dooley is strongly backed by the term-limited Kemp, who is a lifelong friend. Kemp and his wife, Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp, have regularly appeared with Dooley on the campaign trail, and the governor’s top political advisor is a senior consultant for Dooley’s Senate bid.

GEORGIA GOP SENATE PRIMARY HEADS TO RUNOFF AS REPUBLICANS BATTLE TO UNSEAT OSSOFF

Georgia Residents Vote In Primary Election Derek Dooley, Republican US Senate candidate for Georgia, from left, his wife Allison Jeffers Dooley, Marty Kemp, Georgia’s first lady, and Brian Kemp, governor of Georgia, during an election night event at Park Bench Battery in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (Ben Hendren/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

While Dooley has emphasized his outsider image and targeted Collins as a political insider, Collins has criticized him for a lack of political experience and for living outside of Georgia for much of his adult life.

Both candidates have some political baggage.

The House Ethics Committee has been investigating Collins over allegations he paid an intern in a district office who had a romantic relationship with his congressional chief of staff but who did not actually perform any work. Collins denied any wrongdoing and kept the staffer on his Senate campaign.

But the staffer was later fired by Collins after taking to social media on behalf of the campaign to mock the wife of a Dooley campaign advisor who attempted suicide after accusing Matt Lauer of rape. The social media post was deleted and Collins apologized, calling the tweet «despicable and unauthorized.»

Dooley, over the past week, was reportedly accused of being part of a «pay to play» scandal involving brother Daniel Dooley, and the governor. Dooley and Kemp have denied any wrongdoing, but Democrats in the legislature requested an independent investigation.

Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, is running for re-election in the 2026 midterms. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

While the Republicans have been battling for their party’s nomination over the past year, Ossoff has built a powerful war chest that will give him a major fundraising advantage as the general election gets underway.

While he isn’t on the ballot, the president’s immense clout over the GOP is also facing another key test in Georgia’s other runoff, where Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is battling billionaire businessman Rick Jackson for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, in the race to succeed Kemp.

The brute force of the president’s endorsement power has been on display in GOP primaries over the past month, with his candidates ousting incumbents he targeted in showdowns in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas that grabbed plenty of national attention.

But Trump’s endorsement streak in statewide and congressional Republican primaries was snapped two weeks ago when his 11th-hour endorsement of Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa in the race to succeed retiring GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds wasn’t enough to propel the three-term congressman to victory.

Feenstra was narrowly edged by Zach Lahn, a businessman, farmer and former political strategist who was backed by the political wings of MAHA — the acronym for the Make America Healthy Again movement aligned with Trump Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — and Turning Point USA, the powerful conservative organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk.

Zach Lahn raises his fist in celebration after defeating his primary opponent in Iowa’s GOP gubernatorial race on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. (Zach Lahn for Governor via Facebook)

Trump rebounded last week, as the candidate he endorsed in the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, finished first in a crowded field and clinched one of the two tickets in the race for the nomination.

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Meanwhile, longtime Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham did win a majority of the vote in the Republican Senate primary, and avoided a runoff.

Graham, who was endorsed by Trump, was facing primary challenges from five candidates, including conservative businessman Mark Lynch, who took aim at the senator over his support for the war in Iran. Lynch was backed by some MAGA leaders who have been critical of the president.