Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan has attended the opening ceremony of the Defence24 Days defense and security conference in Warsaw during his official visit to Poland, the Defense Ministry said.
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French President Emmanuel Macron joined Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan for a walk through central Yerevan on Monday evening following an official dinner.
The leaders took selfies with passersby and spoke with them.
They later had tea at a cafe.
Macron arrived in Armenia on May 3 to attend the 8th European Political Community Summit, held Monday, and for a state visit beginning May 5.
Earlier at an official reception, Macron was awarded Armenia’s Order of Glory for his contribution to advancing bilateral ties. He, in turn, awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest distinction, to Khachaturyan and Pashinyan.
The inaugural Armenia–EU Summit kicked off in Yerevan on Tuesday morning.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa at a ceremony in the Presidential Palace. Before the summit, Pashinyan will hold a meeting with the EU’s political leadership. A press conference will take place after the summit.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa ahead of the first-ever Armenia–EU Summit on Tuesday in Yerevan.
Pashinyan welcomed the EU leaders and hailed the “historic moment” marking the inaugural summit. The Prime Minister added that holding the first Armenia–European Union summit implies that a second summit is expected, and that it now only remains to reach an agreement on its organization.
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President of France Emmanuel Macron visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan during his state visit to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan accompanied the French president. The two leaders placed wreaths at the memorial and, together with members of their delegations, laid flowers at the Eternal Flame. Macron then signed the guestbook at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan and Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan also accompanied the delegation. The French president is expected to hold a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the state visit. The leaders will deliver statements to the press after a document signing ceremony. Macron and Pashinyan will also visit Gyumri.
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The Armenian parliament is holding a confirmation hearing on the re-election of incumbent Central Bank Governor Martin Galstyan. His candidacy was put forward unopposed by the ruling Civil Contract faction.
Galstyan has served as governor of the Central Bank of Armenia since June 13, 2020.
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Central Bank Governor Martin Galstyan was re-elected on Tuesday after passing a parliamentary confirmation hearing.
Only 69 MPs in the 107-seat parliament took part in the vote following the hearing, and all voted in favor of Galstyan, who was nominated unopposed by the ruling Civil Contract party.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking at the inaugural Armenia-EU Summit in Yerevan, said that Armenia could become a hub for new trade routes in the region.
Aside from von der Leyen, the EU side was represented at the meeting by European Council President António Costa and top diplomat Kaja Kallas, among others.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired the meeting on the Armenian side, which also included Cabinet ministers.
The President of the European Commission emphasized that the shortest route from Europe to Central Asia and the Caspian Sea passes through Armenia, but noted that this route had been closed due to war.
“Now you are changing this, thanks to a courageous choice in favor of peace and greater integration into European networks. As a result, Armenia can become a regional hub for new trade routes,” von der Leyen stated.
She also added that the European Union is ready to deepen cooperation with Armenia in the energy sector as well as in digitalization.
Von der Leyen noted that there has always been a special bond between Armenia and Europe. “But we are united not only by our shared history and culture, not only by our ancient ties, but also by the opportunities that lie ahead of us,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
She stressed that Armenia and the European Union are now closer than ever, highlighting that positive progress is being made in the EU visa liberalization process for Armenian citizens.
Von der Leyen recalled that, under the EU’s “Global Gateway” strategy, €2.5 billion in investments for Armenia has already been planned.
“From Ukraine to Iran, the entire region is being shaken by wars, while here in the South Caucasus there is a different story, a different situation. In an era of new conflicts, you are healing old wounds, and we want to support you by showing that peace leads to prosperity,” said Ursula von der Leyen. She pointed to the example of the European Union’s formation, noting that countries that were once enemies were able to build friendship and bring peace to the region through the establishment of trade relations.
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“Only Russia’s defeat”. Armenia’s pro-European politician explains Yerevan’s common goals with Kyiv
In a conversation with LIGA.net, Tigran Khzmalyan emphasized that geopolitically Armenia will break away from Russia if it loses to Ukraine
Ihor Tymots
correspondent of LIGA.net
Yuliia Kuzmenko
News editor at LIGA.net
Armenia is now balancing between influential Russia and attractive Europe, and this will change only when Russia loses politically in the war with Ukraine. This was stated by the Chairman of the European Party of Armenia Tigran Khzmalyan in comments for analysis on LIGA.net.
WHY IT MATTERS
For the first time in decades, Armenia is looking to the West, disillusioned with Russia’s protection. Last year, the country adopted a law on joining the European Union, and recently the capital Yerevan hosted the summit of the European Political Community. Read in the article LIGA.net, how the Armenian future is being decided between Moscow and Europe and what it means for Ukraine.
Russia has several spheres of influence in Armenia, which still forces the current government, led by Prime Minister By Nikol Pashinyan to balance between pandering to Moscow and confident European integration.
First, there is a Russian military base in the southwestern Armenian city of Gyumri. According to Khzmalyan, it was never intended to defend Armenia, only to protect Russian interests in Armenia.
“The Russian base is now so small that it does not pose a serious threat. To our shame and regret, it was one of the sources of threat to Ukraine. Thugs were sent from there to the Ukrainian fronts,” the politician said.
Secondly, Russia owns the Armenian railroad, Armenia’s gas distribution systems, and virtually all copper, molecular and gold mines. Russia controls the supply of fuel for the nuclear power plant. So in this way, it influences the economy, politics and media.
“Russian TV channels broadcast freely in Armenia, spy nests called the House of Russia, the House of Russian Books, the House of Moscow, the Rossotrudnichestvo organization, Compatriots and other branches of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and the Foreign Intelligence Service operate freely in Armenia,” Khzmalyan added.
Finally, Armenia receives gas for domestic use from Russia. The entire small country could have been satisfied with supplies from another neighbor, Iran. But Russia, with the help of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, refused to build a 1.5-meter-diameter pipe that would have allowed the export of Iranian gas, Khzmalyan explained.
Thus, it is difficult for Armenia to break away from these ties. Pro-European political forces understand the importance of Ukraine’s victory for the development of their homeland. The leader of the European Party summarizes: the main geopolitical hope of Armenia, as well as Europe, is the victory of Ukraine and the defeat of Russia. Moreover, the defeat is not only military, but also political, the destruction of the regime of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
on January 9, the Armenian government approved a draft law on starting the process of accession to the European Union.
In January 2025 Armenia signed with the United States a document on strategic partnership.
on April 21, the head of European diplomacy, Kallas saidthe EU will send a new civilian mission to Armenia to counter disinformation.”The Russian base is now so small that it does not pose a serious threat. To our shame and regret, it was one of the sources of threat to Ukraine. Thugs were sent from there to the Ukrainian fronts,” the politician said.
Secondly, Russia owns the Armenian railroad, Armenia’s gas distribution systems, and virtually all copper, molecular and gold mines. Russia controls the supply of fuel for the nuclear power plant. So in this way, it influences the economy, politics and media.
“Russian TV channels broadcast freely in Armenia, spy nests called the House of Russia, the House of Russian Books, the House of Moscow, the Rossotrudnichestvo organization, Compatriots and other branches of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and the Foreign Intelligence Service operate freely in Armenia,” Khzmalyan added.
Finally, Armenia receives gas for domestic use from Russia. The entire small country could have been satisfied with supplies from another neighbor, Iran. But Russia, with the help of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, refused to build a 1.5-meter-diameter pipe that would have allowed the export of Iranian gas, Khzmalyan explained.
Thus, it is difficult for Armenia to break away from these ties. Pro-European political forces understand the importance of Ukraine’s victory for the development of their homeland. The leader of the European Party summarizes: the main geopolitical hope of Armenia, as well as Europe, is the victory of Ukraine and the defeat of Russia. Moreover, the defeat is not only military, but also political, the destruction of the regime of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
on January 9, the Armenian government approved a draft law on starting the process of accession to the European Union.
In January 2025 Armenia signed with the United States a document on strategic partnership.
on April 21, the head of European diplomacy, Kallas saidthe EU will send a new civilian mission to Armenia to counter disinformation.
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A group titled “For a Democratic Belarus” may be established in the Armenian parliament. The issue was discussed at a meeting between advisers to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Dzianis Kuchynski and Anatol Liabedzka, and Rustem Bakoyan, one of the heads of the human rights committee in the Armenian parliament.
The sides discussed the human rights situation, opportunities for developing parliamentary cooperation, support for Belarusians and the exchange of experience, the Tsikhanouskaya Office reported.
The main topic of the meeting was the creation of the “For a Democratic Belarus” group. The parties agreed to return to discussing the issue after parliamentary elections in Armenia.
“The parliamentary dimension is another important area of our work. We are consistently expanding the network of support for Belarus: such groups already operate in Moldova and Ukraine, and the next goal is Armenia”, Liabedzka said.
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