Armenia 's strategic location in the South Caucasus region makes it a key geopolitical flashpoint between the European Union and Russia . The incumbent prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, is seeking closer relations with the European Union and the United States. His main challenger is pro-Moscow billionaire Samvel Karapetyan. Moscow continues to play a central role in the country's economy: exports, imports, remittances, and gas supplies are all closely tied to Russia. DW correspondent Sergei