Category: News

Opening statement by President von der Leyen at the first EU-Armenia Summit

Emil Lazarian
Europeans Commission
May 5 2026

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Thank you, Prime Minister, dear Nikol, for the warm reception you have given to my friend António and me receiving us here.

I would like to congratulate you, both for hosting the European Political Community yesterday here in beautiful Yerevan. And for your peace-oriented agenda. Armenia has long been a valued member of our broader European family. Your peaceful Velvet Revolution in 2018 demonstrated your country’s commitment to core European values. That is democracy, respect for the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms. Today, I want to express our firm support and partnership with Armenia. We live in a volatile geopolitical context, and in this challenging environment, – this first-ever EU–Armenia Summit could not be more timely. It is the opportunity to deepen our bonds, and take our unique partnership to the next level. We will do so along four key priorities.

First, connectivity. We have just signed a Connectivity Partnership. It brings a new level of ambition to our cooperation. Starting with transport. Few countries are as uniquely positioned as Armenia. Your “Crossroads of Peace” initiative has the potential to link Europe with the South Caucasus and Central Asia. And to turn Armenia into a key transport hub. We are ready to work on rebuilding border crossing points, as your frontiers reopen with neighbouring countries. We know how important it is for a landlocked country like Armenia to be firmly integrated into a regional transport network. 

This is why we will support your integration into key transport networks, like the Trans Caspian Corridor. It is a route that is also of strategic importance for Europe, also given the growing flows of trade between our two regions. This is why today we are launching a High-Level Dialogue on Transport. As transport networks are a driving force for competitiveness.

Turning to energy. Armenia’s rapid expansion of solar energy is remarkable. It is a clear sign of your commitment to diversifying Armenia’s energy mix. And it is of paramount importance given the energy crisis we are all facing. We are supporting projects to further boost your energy independence, specifically in view of the precious renewable resources you were describing. This already includes 25 million EUR for the Caucasus Transmission Network. And investment in energy storage, for your security of supply.

Now turning to digital. Armenia’s emerging AI and engineering ecosystem is a strength we want to build on. Together we have identified a wide set of projects, and we have witnessed the signature of several Letters of Intent with leading companies. We are encouraging European companies to invest here, – where talent and opportunities come together. Armenia is the place to be.

The second priority is stronger cooperation on security. Under the European Peace Facility, we are supporting the Armenian Armed Forces. But Armenia also has to counter foreign information manipulation, hybrid threats and interference. Our new EU Partnership mission will support you in countering hybrid threats and disinformation. Because one thing is absolutely clear, the Armenian people’s will must remain the only legitimate source of power in the country.

The third priority is cooperation on visa policy and home affairs. Visa liberalisation is a priority that matters deeply to the Armenian people. And rightly so – since it is a key vehicle to bring our people closer together. So, we are pleased to present the first progress report on the implementation of the visa liberalisation action plan. And congratulation, it shows good work and progress since last November. I am absolutely convinced we are going to get there. Also today, we are also setting a new working arrangement between Frontex and Armenia. It will strengthen cooperation on border and migration management.

Last but not least, the fourth priority is continued economic support and societal resilience. Two years ago, we launched Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia. Worth a 270 million euro. Its implementation is progressing well. We now expect the plan to leverage 2.5 billion euro in mobilised investments. We are supporting Armenian businesses, helping them grow and innovate, and access new markets. We are investing in skills and employment, but also on demining which is vital for safety and recovery. And we are providing much-needed support, including housing, to those displaced from Karabakh.

So, a wide range of topics. I have just touched on the most important ones, but this, dear Nikol and dear António, shows the width and the depth of our cooperation, and I am very much looking forward to our next summit.

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London: Joint Declaration on a Strategic Partnership between the United Kingdo

Emil Lazarian
GOV. UK
May 5 2026
Press release

Joint Declaration on a Strategic Partnership between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Armenia.

From:
Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published
5 May 2026

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Armenia (hereinafter: the Sides), building upon the Joint Statement on the establishment of the UK–Armenia Strategic Dialogue of November 2023, and recognising the longstanding and friendly relations between them, founded on mutual respect, shared values, growing cooperation, and convergence of interests in various fields, express their determination to reinforce their bilateral relations through the establishment of a Strategic Partnership.

Recalling their commitment to uphold and promote democracy, human rights, the rule of law, good governance, and a rules-based international order, including respect for sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognised borders, the Sides reaffirm their adherence to the purposes and principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and other international instruments promoting peace and security.

Emphasising the importance of the Washington Peace Summit Declaration of 8 August 2025 and the initialled Agreement “On the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan”, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reaffirms its continued support for the institutionalisation of peace and normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, based on mutual recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as delimitation of the interstate borders in accordance with the 1991 Almaty Declaration.

Welcoming the ongoing efforts to unblock regional transport communications to improve regional connectivity and stability, the Sides recognise that sustainable peace and connectivity can catalyse prosperity and security in the region. In that regard, the Sides agreed to continue discussing connectivity projects, highlighting the “Crossroads of Peace” and “TRIPP” initiatives as platforms for enhanced regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

The Sides have reached the following understanding:

  1. Defence and Security: The Sides share a long-term commitment to building Armenia’s capacity in the areas of security, resilience and defence. They underline the importance of advancing regional peace and stability, strengthening Armenia’s ability to manage evolving security challenges, and enhancing cooperation in areas including defence cooperation, institutional reform, border security and tackling illegal migration, cyber resilience, and the wider response to hybrid threats. The Sides further affirm their intention to cooperate in multilateral fora where interests align and opportunities permit.

  2. Economic Growth and Development: The Sides share an objective to promote sustainable economic growth and diversification in Armenia, deepen bilateral trade and investment ties, and strengthen regional connectivity in areas such as transport, energy and communication, as enablers of stability and prosperity. They recognise the importance of improving the business environment, supporting private‑sector development, facilitating investment, and cooperating in specific sectors of mutual agreement.

  3. Governance and Democratic Resilience: The Sides share a commitment to democratic values, transparent and effective governance, and inclusive institutions. They recognise the importance of strengthening public sector performance, ensuring free and fair elections, countering hybrid threats, advancing anti‑corruption efforts, and supporting an enabling environment for independent media and civil society. They also commit to exploring further bilateral cooperation that reinforces democratic resilience.

Final Provisions

The Sides have reached an understanding to hold an annual Strategic Partnership session on the three aforementioned areas, where the Sides have reached a mutual understanding. This will be delivered through a jointly owned Outcome Framework Document, which will ensure coherence between UK and Armenian activity and provide a monitoring mechanism to review progress against delivery.

This declaration is not an international treaty and does not create legal rights or obligations under domestic or international law. Implementation of activities under this declaration will be subject to the availability of resources and in accordance with the respective laws and regulations of the Sides. Additional areas of cooperation may be identified and mutually agreed upon. This Joint Declaration may be amended at any time by mutual written consent. Each Side may end cooperation under this Joint Declaration at any time, informing the other Side in writing at least six months prior.

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Remarks by President António Costa at the press conference following the EU–Ar

Hagop Kamalian
European Council
May 5 2026

Dear Prime Minister Pashinyan, allow me to begin by offering my warmest congratulations to you on the success of the summit of the European Political Community held yesterday, and today’s also historic first-ever summit between the European Union and Armenia. These are remarkable achievements and a testament of your leadership.

Thank you as well for the generous and exceptional hospitality that you and your team extended to us here in Yerevan.

Today’s summit marks an important milestone in the deepening of the partnership between the European Union and Armenia. It reflects the significant achievements of recent years and our shared ambition to deliver tangible benefits for our citizens, businesses and societies. 

It’s true, dear Nikol, you didn’t change the place of Armenia, but you changed radically the conditions of your country. I want to commend your vision for a democratic, resilient and prosperous Armenia. The European Union strongly supports Armenia’s socio-economic reform agenda, including through our technical and financial assistance. You have also shown courage and statesmanship by choosing to prioritise peace and a better future for your country. The participation of President Aliyev in the European Political Community summit yesterday is a testimony of the new atmosphere between your two countries.

A stable and prosperous South Caucasus is the bedrock of Armenia’s future, and the European Union will continue to support the regional peace and normalisation processes, working along with you to build that future together.

The European Union is a major, long-term partner for Armenia and the wider region. Through stronger transport, energy and digital connections, we can foster trust, create jobs and bring neighbours closer together through shared prosperity —the most effective foundation for lasting peace. Armenia can count on the European Union to walk this transformative path together. 
 
We are equally committed to supporting Armenia’s national resilience and your security. The new European Union Partnership Mission in Armenia will help strengthen crisis response capacities and contribute to the country’s long-term stability.

As we conclude this summit, I would like to underline the progress we have achieved together. Our shared goals of stability, democracy, peace, and prosperity for Armenia will continue to guide our efforts in the future.

Prime Minister Pashinyan, thank you once again for hosting us and for the spirit of cooperation of our discussions. We look forward to continuing this vital work together in the years ahead.

Thank you.

—

Armenia hosts a historic European Union summit as the country charts a course

Emil Lazarian
Associated Press
May 5 2026

Armenia hosts a historic European Union summit as the country charts a course away from Russia

By  ELISE MORTON and MARK CARLSON

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia hosts its first bilateral summit with the European Union on Tuesday, a landmark diplomatic moment for the Caucasus Mountains nation that has formally declared its ambition to join the bloc and is cautiously loosening its ties with longtime ally Russia.
The EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan follows the eighth gathering of the European Political Community, or EPC, which brought dozens of European leaders to the Armenian capital on Monday to address European defense issues and the Iran war.

Meanwhile, Tuesday’s bilateral meeting saw Armenia and the EU sign a connectivity partnership to strengthen economic ties and deepen security cooperation.

The two events underscore how Armenia is seeking to turn westward and shed Russia’s influence. Armenia’s relations with Moscow, its longtime sponsor and ally, have grown increasingly strained since 2023, when neighboring Azerbaijan fully reclaimed the Karabakh region and ended the decadeslong rule by ethnic Armenian separatists.

Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers who were deployed to the region of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s onslaught. Moscow, busy with the war in Ukraine, rejected the accusations, arguing that its troops didn’t have a mandate to intervene.

The war was “a belated demonstration that Russia is dangerously unreliable as a partner,” Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, told The Associated Press.

Pursuing ties with Europe

Since then, the government of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has pursued closer ties with the West, a move welcomed by the 27-nation EU.

The opening ceremony of the EU-Armenia summit on Tuesday saw European Council President António Costa walk the red carpet side by side with Pashinyan and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while a military band played in front of Armenian and EU flags.

In her opening statement, von der Leyen said that Europe was ready to aid Armenia in becoming a regional hub for global trade routes, including the building of physical infrastructure.

“We’re ready to invest in the local energy production and the energy links across the Black Sea, and we are ready to connect your booming digital scene to Europe’s digital market and turn Armenia’s position at the heart of this region into a motor of growth,” she said.

The new EU-Armenia connectivity partnership will focus on strengthening transportation, energy and digital links. Meanwhile, EU investments in Armenia are expected to reach 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) under its global gateway infrastructure program, both sides said in a joint statement.

“Today’s EU-Armenia summit sends a clear signal of the EU’s firm commitment to deepen our relations with Armenia, and to strengthen cooperation across many new areas,” Costa said. “Bringing Armenia and its people closer to the European Union.”

Symbolic moves

The EU, rather than the United States, has stepped into the vacuum left by Russia, Giragosian said.

“EU engagement is much more prudent and much more productive than the U.S. becoming involved, simply because European engagement is less provocative to Russia over the longer term,” he said.

In 2025, Armenia’s parliament passed a law formally declaring the country’s intention to seek EU membership.

However, Giragosian described Tuesday’s summit as “a focus on deepening the preexisting relationship” rather than a step toward candidacy, referencing the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that has governed EU-Armenia ties since fully taking effect in 2021.

“The symbolic significance is much greater as a message to Russia,” he said.

Armenia has also taken other symbolic steps. It joined the International Criminal Court in 2023, a move that Moscow condemned as an “unfriendly step.” The court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.

Armenia also froze its participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization in 2024.

However, Armenia remains a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, or EEU, a single market allowing the free movement of goods, capital and labor. The organization also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — and Putin has made the trade-offs plain.

Speaking at talks with Pashinyan in Moscow earlier this year, Putin warned that Armenia couldn’t simultaneously belong to both the EEU and the EU, noting that Yerevan currently receives Russian natural gas at prices far below European market rates. Pashinyan acknowledged the incompatibility, but said that Armenia could, for now, combine EEU membership with deepening EU cooperation.

Pashinyan, who has been in office since 2018 and faces a parliamentary election in June, stands to benefit politically from the international profile of the European meetings. Giragosian said that Pashinyan’s government is likely to be reelected largely by default, with the opposition unable to offer a credible alternative program.

But Giragosian warned against framing Armenia’s foreign policy as purely a pivot from Russia to the West.

“Armenia is also pivoting beyond the black and white zero-sum game paradigm,” he said, pointing to significant diplomatic investment in Asia, including with Japan, South Korea and China. “This is not about replacing Russia with the West. This is much more innovative, much more sophisticated.”

Heightened tensions

The summit also comes at a moment of diplomatic strains between Azerbaijan and the EU. Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the EU ambassador last week to protest a European Parliament resolution demanding the release of Armenian prisoners of war and criticizing the treatment of Armenians in Karabakh. Lawmakers in Azerbaijan subsequently voted to suspend all cooperation with the European Parliament.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who addressed the EPC conference via video link, accused the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe, or PACE, of “double standards” for placing sanctions on Azerbaijan’s delegation.

There were also protests outside the EPC summit venue, which was surrounded by tight security. Demonstrators held photos of Armenian prisoners being held in Azerbaijan.

Opposition leader Aram Sargsyan, head of the Democratic Party of Armenia, told the Armenian Press Agency that the European officials were voicing support for Pashinyan before the election and have “forgotten about the Armenians in prison in Azerbaijan.”

___

Elise Morton reported from London. Avet Demourian in Yerevan, and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, contributed to this report.


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Armenia, France Deepen Ties Across Key Sectors

Maghakian Mike
Eurasia Review
May 5 2026
 May 5, 2026 

By PanARMENIAN

Armenia and France have published the full text of their joint declaration on establishing a strategic partnership, outlining a broad framework for deepening bilateral relations across multiple sectors.

The document emphasizes the intention to significantly expand cooperation in political, economic, justice, defense, security, cultural, educational, scientific, social, environmental, and technological fields.

It reaffirms that strengthening bilateral ties aligns with the national interests and shared values of both countries, based on longstanding historical friendship, democratic principles, and cultural connections.

The declaration confirms both sides’ commitment to international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, and highlights their intention to contribute to regional and global peace and stability.

Armenia and France also reaffirm support for lasting peace in the South Caucasus, based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as internationally recognized principles.

The agreement elevates bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership, grounded in mutual respect, equality, human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

The partnership foresees comprehensive cooperation in several key areas:

  • Political dialogue and multilateral cooperation: Regular high-level consultations and coordination on international platforms, including the UN, Council of Europe, OSCE, and the European Political Community.
  • Security and defense: Expanded cooperation in military education, technology, and defense industry, including joint projects and high-level strategic dialogue.
  • Technology and digital fields: Collaboration in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and digital transformation, including combating cybercrime and information manipulation.
  • Economic cooperation and connectivity: Development of trade, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and innovation, as well as support for regional connectivity initiatives such as the “Crossroads of Peace” and EU-backed programs.
  • Migration and internal security: Joint efforts to address irregular migration, strengthen law enforcement cooperation, and enhance institutional capacities.
  • Disaster risk management: Cooperation in emergency response, civil protection, and early warning systems.

The declaration also highlights support for Armenia’s closer ties with the European Union, including ongoing visa liberalization dialogue and reforms aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and economic resilience.

Overall, the document sets a long-term framework for expanding Armenian-French cooperation and positioning both countries as strategic partners in regional stability, development, and innovation.

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Armenia seeks place in line to join EU, amid geopolitical turmoil

Emil Lazarian
EU Obsever
May 5 2026

Armenia seeks place in line to join EU, amid geopolitical turmoil

By Andrew Rettman, 5 May 2026 18:43

The EU and Armenia have made a show of deepening strategic ties, as Russian and US aggression spur interest in enlargement.

Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan gave the red-carpet treatment, with a military band, to EU Council chairman António Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for a first-ever EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan on Tuesday (5 May).

They also signed a six-page declaration celebrating the “historic milestone” in relations and envisaging EU investment in solar energy, transport links, and the AI and digital sectors in Armenia.

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“Under the Global Gateway strategy, EU investments in Armenia are expected to reach €2.5bn,” they said.

Tuesday’s EU summit was the most high-profile sign yet of Armenia’s breakaway from Russia’s sphere of influence in the past three years.

Pashinyan said the EU investment blueprint and legal and industrial alignment would help his country get closer to a future membership in the bloc.

“If the European Union [one day] accepts us, we will be happy and enthusiastic about it,” he said.

Von der Leyen said: “Your peaceful, velvet revolution in 2018 demonstrated your country’s commitment to core European values – that is, democracy, the respect of the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms”.

She spoke of the EU visa-free travel progress and pledged to help Pashinyan fight Russian disinformation in the upcoming elections in Armenia in June.

“Dear Nikol, you … changed radically the [democratic] conditions of your country,” also said Costa.

“I want to commend your vision for a democratic, resilient, and prosperous Armenia,” he said.

New momentum for enlargement

The Yerevan summit comes amid new momentum on EU enlargement, as smaller and like-minded countries band together in reaction to ongoing Russian aggression in Europe and to US volatility under president Donald Trump.

Ukraine and Moldova are hoping to press ahead with EU accession talks this year after the new government of Hungarian prime minister Péter Magyar takes power in May and lifts his country’s former veto on Ukraine.

In the High North, Iceland is to hold a referendum on relaunching EU accession talks on 29 August.

In the Western Balkans, Albania and Montenegro are well advanced in EU talks and hoping to join in 2028 to 2029, even though Bosnia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia are being held back by bilateral disputes.

Accession talks are de facto frozen with Turkey and Georgia due to illiberal rule.

But Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also voiced interest in overcoming disputes with Cyprus to restart the accession process.

“The disagreements arising from the Cyprus issue have been the reason for obstructing our path to the EU. The issue is not where Ankara is located, but where Brussels wants to position itself in the future global order,” he said on Tuesday.

And even if Serbia and Georgia were being held captive by two pro-Russian governments, both have also seen mass-scale pro-European movements on the streets of their capitals, in a sign of the fragility of those regimes.

Meanwhile, the geopolitical volatility has stirred interest in closer EU economic and security ties also in Canada, Norway, and Switzerland.

And in the rosiest enlargement scenario, the EU could see Albania, Iceland, and Montenegro join in 2028, with Ukraine not far behind in 2029.

Long-term EU approach

For its part, Armenia is still formally part of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian Economic Union, which it would have to renounce to join the EU.

But it has already rejoined the International Criminal Court, which has a war-crimes warrant out on Putin, and left Putin’s Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Von der Leyen said in Yerevan on Tuesday: “We are strongly encouraging European companies to invest here”.

And Costa underlined the depth of Europe’s commitment to Armenia’s well-being despite the turbulent years since Putin forced Pashinyan’s predecessor, former Armenian prime minster Serzh Sargsyan, to abandon an association agreement with the EU at a notorious meeting in 2013.

“The European Union is a major, long-term partner for Armenia and the wider region … Armenia can count on the European Union to walk this transformative path together,” Costa said.


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Turkish Press: Turkish vice president’s Armenia visit marks turning point: Env

Kalashian Nyrie
Anadolu Agency, turkey
May 5 206
High-level talks, joint restoration project signal momentum toward full normalization between 2 countries, says Ambassador Serdar Kilic
Tugba Altun, Can Efesoy, Gokhan Celiker
05 May 2026•Update: 05 May 2026
YEREVAN, Armenia

Türkiye’s special envoy for normalization with Armenia, retired Ambassador Serdar Kilic, said that a recent visit by Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz to Yerevan marked a “turning point” in bilateral relations, highlighting growing high-level engagement and new areas of cooperation.

Speaking to Turkish journalists on the sidelines of the “Yerevan Dialogue 2026” conference, held under the theme of “Riding Through the Storms,” Kilic emphasized the significance of Yilmaz’s trip, which was the first at that level in many years.

Kilic said that Yilmaz held a productive exchange with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and took part in the signing of a protocol to restore the historic Ani Bridge, located on the ancient Silk Road. The agreement was signed in the presence of both Yilmaz and Pashinyan.

“Even that alone shows how far Türkiye-Armenia relations have come,” Kilic said. “A vice president of Türkiye came to Yerevan for a conference, was warmly received, and held important meetings. It was a significant visit and a turning point.”

He noted that high-level contacts between the two countries have been increasing, recalling that Pashinyan has visited Türkiye multiple times and that Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan recently traveled to Ankara.

Kilic said ongoing efforts based on mutual understanding are expected to accelerate the path toward full normalization. He added that many steps remain and that he is working closely with his counterpart, Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan, on advancing the process.

Ani Bridge’s historic importance

Highlighting the symbolic importance of the Ani Bridge, Kilic said that the structure dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries and spans both Turkish and Armenian territory. Its central section has collapsed, and both sides plan to restore it jointly.

He said that the project would not only preserve a historic site but also help foster a culture of cooperation between experts from both countries.

Kilic noted that the normalization process formally began in Jan. 2022 and described his working relationship with Rubinyan as “like brothers.”

“If someone had told us in January 2022 that we would reach this point today, no one would have believed it,” he said. “Frankly, we might not have believed it ourselves. In a very short time, we have taken significant steps.”

Increasing people-to-people contact

Kilic also emphasized the importance of increasing people-to-people contact as a cornerstone of the normalization process.

He said that Türkiye’s national carrier, Turkish Airlines, began flights to Yerevan on March 11 and is currently operating one daily service, with plans to increase to two flights per day beginning May 15. He added that Pegasus Airlines is also operating flights between the two countries.

He stressed that beyond economic benefits for companies, these connections are significant for fostering direct interaction between the Turkish and Armenian people.

Kilic also pointed to reciprocal scholarships granted to five university students from each country, as well as visa facilitation measures introduced for holders of diplomatic and official passports, adding that there are still important steps to be taken.

“We have now reached the point of opening the borders, and we are working on that,” he said.

He recalled that a working group meeting was held in Kars regarding the restoration of the Kars-Gyumri railway line and that the foundation of the Dilucu railway line had been laid, adding that such projects could further increase contact between the Turkish and Armenian people.

Reflecting on his previous visit to Yerevan in Sept. 2025, Kilic said that attitudes have shifted noticeably.

“People have started to embrace this process much more,” he said. “At the beginning, there was likely some hesitation and unease between Ruben (Rubinyan) and me, but that is no longer the case. As I said during the meeting, all my proposals are shaped by how we can contribute to this process and to improving the quality of life of the Armenian people.”

On the issue of reopening the border, Kilic said that preparations have reached an advanced stage but cautioned that technical and bureaucratic work must be completed first.

“The border can be considered ready to open, but there are still some bureaucratic and technical steps that need to be finalized,” he said.

“You cannot simply say ‘we opened the border tomorrow’ and allow people to cross immediately. Fiber optic cables need to be laid. Security personnel and customs officers must be in place. Without completing all of this, opening the border just for the sake of saying it’s open would be meaningless.”

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Macron backs Armenia’s pro-Europe PM as re-election campaign draws to close

Emil Lazarian
The Guardian, UK
May 5 2026

French president pitches in for Nikol Pashinyan, who faces stiff challenge from pro-Russia parties in vote next month

  •  

    Europe live – latest updates

Emmanuel Macron has made an unabashed pre-election pitch on behalf of Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, saying the country’s destiny lies with Europe.

The French president also accused Russia of abandoning Armenia after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war that led to Azerbaijan displacing tens of thousands of Armenians.

Pashinyan, who – unlike the leaders of neighbouring Georgia – is increasingly open about his determination to side with Europe, faces a tough challenge to be re-elected next month. Three pro-Russia or nationalist parties are trying to end his eight-year rule and accuse him of making too many concessions to Azerbaijan in an effort to win peace.

They are also likely to attack Macron for interfering in Armenia’s internal politics. He was a on a state visit in which he was trying to show that choosing Europe was not a geopolitical theory, but a practical point of departure for ordinary Armenians.

France has one of the largest Armenian expatriate communities in Europe, and Macron has long championed a European path for Yerevan. It was with his encouragement that more than 40 European leaders gathered in Yerevan on Monday under the banner of the European Political Community, a body that brings together EU and non-EU countries. At the first summit between Armenia and the EU on Tuesday morning, the bloc offered visa and trade liberalisation.

In his speech to the summit, Macron said: “Many have long thought that Armenia’s destiny is possible only under the patronage of Russia.”

But he said the mass displacement of Armenians in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh after offensives by Azerbaijan in 2020 and 2023 in which Russia did not intervene showed Moscow’s promise of security was untrue.

“We saw that Russia abandoned Armenia, we understood that greatest dreams are not reality,” he said.

He also expressed hope that this “Armenian moment” with economic growth at 6% would spread across the region.

“I would like the Armenian moment to also become the moment of the entire Caucasus. I have two convictions. First, the south Caucasus should not be an arena for the competition of empires, and second, the region can become a crossroads between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

“For this, it is necessary to open the borders. I hope that our neighbours will show the same courage as you and follow the path of peace, democracy and prosperity.

“The borders must be fully opened, including with Azerbaijan and Turkey, and they must also operate without restrictions with Georgia.”

More broadly he called for an alliance of independent states to uphold the rule of law. He said lasting peace could not be imposed by the strongest or based on double standards or disrespect for the order established in 1945.

Macron appeared to enjoy popular support as he strolled through the streets of Yerevan. His rendering of Charles Aznavour’s song La Bohème during a state dinner accompanied by Pashinyan on drums went viral.

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EU hails ‘leap forward’ in ties with Russia’s ally Armenia

Hambik Zargarian
New Arab
May 5 2026
Under Pashinyan, Armenia has formally pursued a strategy of what he calls “diversification”, which analysts say is a tilt towards Brussels.

The EU and Armenia laid the groundwork for closer ties at a summit in Yerevan Tuesday, marking another step in the former Soviet nation’s cautious pivot away from Russia and towards Brussels.

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa held talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the capital, resulting in several deals and pledges.

“With this summit, we take a leap forward in a new level of cooperation,” von der Leyen said at the gathering – the first of its kind.

Relations between Yerevan and its traditional ally Moscow have become strained in recent years, in part because Russian peacekeepers failed to intervene during military conflicts with neighbouring Azerbaijan.

Under Pashinyan, Armenia has formally pursued a strategy of what he calls “diversification”, in which the landlocked country pursues ties with both Russia and the West.

But analysts argue that really amounts to a tilt towards Brussels, given the country is currently a member of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union and the Moscow-led CSTO security alliance, although it froze its membership of the latter in 2024.

“If we are accepted into the EU, we will be happy and satisfied,” Pashinyan said Tuesday, adding that Yerevan was working towards meeting the bloc’s strict membership standards.

In another sign of its westward turn, the Armenian capital on Monday hosted more than 40 European leaders, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO chief Mark Rutte, for a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC).

The EU summit coincided with a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country is home to Europe’s largest Armenian community and who received a hearty welcome in Yerevan.

“I believe deeply that Armenia’s calling lies in Europe,” Macron told a forum in Yerevan Tuesday.

“Europe is the most natural partner for Armenia and the South Caucasus at this period in time,” he said.

‘Regional hub’

The nation of three million people between Europe and Asia signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with the European Union in 2017, deepening its cooperation in trade and other areas.

Last year, it adopted a law formally declaring its intention to apply for EU membership and is seeking to secure better visa access to the 27-nation bloc for its people.

On Tuesday it signed a “connectivity partnership” to strengthen transport, energy, and digital links with Brussels.

The EU also urged European firms to invest in the country, underscoring the fresh opportunities created by a peace process with neighbouring Azerbaijan.

“We have never before heard such a call, such a message,” Pashinyan said, noting Armenia was previously seen as “a high-risk destination for investment”.

The arch-foes have fought two wars over the Karabakh region in recent years. Azerbaijan finally seized the mountainous territory in a lightning offensive in 2023, ending three decades of rule by Armenian separatists.

A reset in ties was fostered last year by a deal brokered by the United States, which has been playing a larger role in the region, with Vice President JD Vance visiting Armenia earlier this year.

“Armenia sits on the shortest route between Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and Europe and in the past, because of war and geopolitics, this route was closed, but now you are changing this,” von der Leyen told Pashinyan.

“Armenia can become a regional hub for new global trade routes, particularly in the crucial area of critical raw materials. And Europe is ready to support you.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared himself “completely calm” about Armenia’s overtures to Europe, but also warned that belonging to both the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union was “simply impossible”.

In April, the EU established a mission to help Yerevan tackle foreign interference, with Russia suspected of a disinformation push ahead of elections in June.

Opinion polls show most Armenians are in favour of European integration, while support for Russia has plummeted. But many are sceptical about whether joining the EU is realistic and worried about further provoking Moscow.

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Russia recruited 994 Armenians for its war. Yerevan is pivoting west anyway.

Andranik Taslakhchian
Euromaidan
May 5 2026
994 contracts. 204 dead or missing. The country that wouldn’t defend Armenia in Karabakh is now extracting Armenian lives at industrial scale.

byAlexander Moisseenko

At least 204 Armenian citizens are dead or missing fighting in Russian uniforms in Ukraine — approaching the toll of the September 2023 war that ended Armenia’s three-decade presence in Nagorno-Karabakh, when 223 Armenian fighters died. The Ukrainian “I Want to Live” project published the data on 4 May and identified 994 Armenians who have signed Russian military contracts since the full-scale invasion. Armenia now sits in Russia’s top eight foreign recruitment grounds.

Russia has lost Armenia diplomatically — Yerevan suspended its CSTO membership, watched Russian troops withdraw, signed EU integration frameworks. So Moscow is pulling Armenian working-age men into its war faster than Yerevan can pull the country west, building a constituency of grieving families inside a state Russia can no longer hold through alliances.

The numbers landed the same week Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan at the European Political Community summit, the first such gathering ever held in the South Caucasus and the clearest public marker yet of Armenia’s drift toward Brussels. Yerevan signs frameworks. Moscow signs contracts.

From 83 to 575 in two years

Recruitment is accelerating, not flattening. In 2023, 83 Armenians signed Russian military contracts. In 2025, the figure was 575 — a sevenfold increase, the project stated. Two Armenian citizens and around ten ethnic Armenians are currently held as Russian prisoners of war by Ukraine. The companion service “I Want to Find” has logged at least 621 missing-person requests from Armenian families.

Scale matters. Armenia has roughly 3 million people. The 575 contract signings in 2025 alone are the per-capita equivalent — applied to the United States — of Russia recruiting around 64,000 Americans in a single year, every year, accelerating.

The pattern is wider but Armenia’s place in it is striking. Citizens of 23 of 27 EU countries have fought or are fighting for Russia, the project reports, alongside more than 28,000 foreigners from 135 countries. Ukraine’s military intelligence in April estimated Russia is targeting up to 20,000 foreign recruits in 2026, with Russian regional military offices assigned quotas of 0.5 to 3.5% of the foreign population in each region. India confirmed 26 of its citizens dead and seven missing from Russian service in December 2025. Armenia’s 204 dead and missing dwarfs that figure in a country with one-460th of India’s population.

The country that wouldn’t defend you

In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a 24-hour offensive that ended Armenia’s military presence in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russian peacekeepers, deployed in 2020 as an interposition force, stood passively while Baku advanced. The betrayal prompted Armenia’s pivot westward — suspension of CSTO participation, an EU integration framework, the withdrawal of Russian troops from positions held since 1992.

The Russian state that would not lift a finger for Armenian soldiers in Karabakh has now buried more Armenian soldiers in Ukraine than Karabakh did.

“For Moscow, this is not only a means to replenish losses in the Russian Armed Forces, but also a factor of destabilization and pressure on Armenia, which seeks European integration,” the I Want to Live project stated.

The framing is precise. Russia cannot stop Yerevan’s drift through diplomacy. It can bind Armenia to itself through grief — through 204 funerals, 621 missing-person files, and however many of the 575 men who signed in 2025 don’t come home.

Armenians fighting the other way

Since the first weeks of the full-scale invasion, ethnic Armenians have been serving in Ukrainian uniforms — in Donbas, around Kharkiv, in Kyiv. In autumn 2022, an Armenian-Ukrainian artist with the call sign “Druid” co-founded the Nemesis Group, a brotherhood that connects ethnic Armenian soldiers across the Ukrainian armed forces. The chevron features Ashot the Iron, the Bagratuni dynasty king who became patron of the Armenian army. The name comes from Operation Nemesis — the 1920s Armenian Revolutionary Federation program that hunted down Ottoman officials responsible for the Armenian Genocide.

“We’re carrying on our ancestors’ cause: fighting empires,” one member told the French outlet Desk Russie, which reported in April 2025 that an estimated 15,000 to 25,000 fighters of Armenian origin or with Armenian citizenship serve in Ukraine’s armed forces. Nemesis itself counts hundreds, mostly connected through online channels rather than formal command.

Felix “Dzhanych,” recovering from a wound in eastern Ukraine, told Online.UA he holds two homelands. “I love my Armenia just the same. I have two countries. Any Caucasian who fights in Ukraine has a homeland by blood, and there is a homeland where he lives.”

These men joined before any contract bonus existed. Most live in Ukraine. Some hold Armenian passports. None of them are getting prosecuted — though that depends on which capital they land in. In May 2025, Russia’s Prosecutor General announced charges against 60-year-old Armen Balyan, an Armenian citizen detained at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport in October 2024. Russian investigators say Balyan went to Ukraine in autumn 2022, served as a senior reconnaissance-sniper in the 124th Territorial Defense Brigade, and was wounded multiple times before going home. Russia charged him with mercenarism. The same state that calls 994 Armenian contract signings legitimate military service calls Balyan a foreign criminal who came to Russia to spend $30,000 in alleged AFU pay.

Why Moscow needs this

Armenia froze CSTO participation in 2024. Russian troops began withdrawing from positions held since 1992 on 1 January 2025. The European Union’s leaked Ukraine peace-deal demands include full Russian military withdrawal from Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, and Transnistria.

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Russia is moving the opposite direction. In July 2025, Ukraine’s military intelligence published a leaked order from Russia’s Southern Military District commanding the reinforcement of the 102nd military base in Gyumri — a buildup Yerevan publicly denied the day before the document surfaced. The base hosts roughly 5,000 personnel, around 2,500 of them Russian.

The recruitment of Armenian citizens does what Gyumri does, by other means. It produces, over time, a constituency inside Armenia with personal investment in Moscow’s war narrative — relatives of the dead who need to believe their sons did not die for nothing. It binds Armenian families to the Russian state through unfinished paperwork, sealed coffins, and Russian veterans’ bureaucracy. It funnels working-age Armenian men into a war Yerevan has no formal stake in, draining the demographic margin a small country needs.

The 575 men who signed in 2025 are not all coming back. Some will end up in the I Want to Live database of dead and missing. Some will sit in Ukrainian POW camps and stay there, excluded from prisoner exchanges the Russian state has refused to negotiate. Some will reach Moscow with their pay and, if they crossed the wrong border, end up where Balyan did.

Yerevan signed an EU framework. Russia signed 575 contracts.

The arithmetic of Armenia’s future is being conducted in two ledgers at once, and Russia is the one filling the second one faster.


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