On July 24, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accompanied by his wife Anna Hakobyan, began a two-day working visit to the Altai Federal Republic of the Russian Federation. Upon their arrival at Gorno-Altaysk airport, they were welcomed by Andrey Turchak, the Head of the Altai Federal Republic, along with other regional officials.

During his visit, Pashinyan attended the International Conference on Nature and Environmental Protection. On the sidelines of the event, he met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to discuss Armenia-Russia relations, bilateral cooperation, and coordination within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The following day, Pashinyan participated in the main conference, joining heads of government from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.

In his address, Pashinyan described the Altai region as a symbolic venue for discussing environmental issues. He noted that Armenia is a mountainous country with diverse climatic zones and rich biodiversity, highlighting that national parks and reserves, including the historic 4th-century Khosrov Reserve, cover over 10% of its territory. He also mentioned Lake Sevan, the largest freshwater reservoir in the region, as a key natural asset.

The Armenian Prime Minister addressed the severe impact of climate change on his country, citing accelerated glacier melt, declining precipitation, and increased natural disasters, despite Armenia's minimal contribution to global carbon emissions. He outlined national strategies to combat these challenges, including a program for climate change adaptation in the water sector and a new draft law on climate.

Pashinyan affirmed Armenia's support for joint EAEU climate initiatives and its commitment to preserving biodiversity, mentioning the successful recovery of the Caucasian leopard population and a project to reintroduce the Caucasian red deer. He also highlighted Armenia's active participation in the UN's mountain agenda.

Concluding his remarks, Pashinyan announced that Armenia will host the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2026. He invited international delegations to attend, stating, “We are confident that together we can make a significant contribution to global efforts to conserve biodiversity and sustainably use the natural environment.”