Yerevan summit draws broad international attention

PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Political Community summit and the first-ever Armenia-European Union summit held in Yerevan on May 4-5 have generated wide political and expert reactions internationally, BBC reported.

According to the report, European leaders arrived in the Armenian capital one month before the country’s planned parliamentary elections and one month after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Moscow.

Following the summits, the sides signed a joint declaration emphasizing that the meetings reflected “significant achievements of recent years and the strategic importance of the partnership.” The European Union reaffirmed its readiness to deepen cooperation with Armenia, stating that “Armenia and the EU are united by shared political values and commitment to international law, the UN Charter and the rules-based international order.”

The declaration also stated that the EU recognizes “the European aspirations of the Armenian people,” referring to the law adopted last March on launching the process of Armenia’s EU accession. The European side also expressed expectations that investment in Armenia could reach $2.5 billion.

The report noted that the EU seeks to improve Armenia’s transport connectivity and support its transition to green energy. Brussels has also launched negotiations that could eventually allow Armenian citizens short-term visa-free travel to EU countries.

The European Union additionally expressed support for cooperation in nuclear safety, commitment to the Paris climate agreement and joint projects in transport, digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

At the same time, BBC noted that the declaration’s more than 40 sections lack specific details, particularly regarding financial commitments and implementation timelines.

The only exception was paragraph 29, which referred to the allocation of 30 million euros in non-lethal assistance to Armenia through the European Peace Facility “with a view to possible future participation in international missions and operations, including those carried out by the EU.”

The Guardian cited a senior EU official describing the Armenia-EU summit as “an important stage in relations” and “a symbol of Armenia’s gradual geopolitical reorientation toward the West.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X that “from transport to energy and digital networks, this can turn Armenia into a strategic hub at the crossroads of continents, linking the EU, the South Caucasus and Central Asia.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said that eight years ago no one would have come to Armenia because the country was viewed as a Russian satellite. However, media outlets quickly recalled that exactly eight years earlier, in 2018, Yerevan hosted the International Francophonie Summit attended by representatives from more than 80 countries and 38 heads of state, including Macron himself.

The report also noted that Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO while remaining a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. Pashinyan, presenting his election program, also pledged not to create “problems in Armenian-Russian relations.”