Armenia Boosts Military Arsenal with French CAESAR Howitzers Deal

France has finalized a deal to sell CAESAR self-propelled howitzers to Armenia, announced Paris's defense minister on Tuesday, according to Reuters. The contract details, including the number of systems Armenia will acquire, were not disclosed during the meeting between the relevant ministers.

Armenia, which has a significant Armenian diaspora, has traditionally enjoyed strong support from France within Europe. This sale underscores Paris's continued backing of Yerevan amidst its evolving military alliances.

Officially aligned with Russia, Armenia has increasingly turned towards Western nations both diplomatically and militarily in recent years. Yerevan has criticized Moscow for not adequately safeguarding its interests against neighboring Azerbaijan, with whom Armenia has a longstanding rivalry. Russia has rebutted these accusations and cautioned Armenia against strengthening ties with Western powers.