U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the 29th anniversary of Republic of Armenia’s independence.

“Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you on September 21 - the Independence Day of your country

Over the past 29 years of Armenia’s independence, the United States has been standing by the Armenian people and supported your efforts to build a modern democracy and ensure economic development. We are prepared to continue cooperating in the areas of mutual interest, including the expansion of bilateral trade and investment exchanges, the furtherance of the rule of law, regional stability, and the strengthening of your country’s sovereignty.

Today’s challenges reaffirm the importance of our partnership. The Armenian and American peoples boast strong and enduring ties, be it in the face of a new global pandemic or in the side-by-side international peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan or Kosovo.

On this special day, we wish you all the best and look forward to strengthening our friendship over the coming year,” the U.S. President said in his congratulatory message.