Today in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to reaffirm and advance the growing partnership between the European Union and Armenia. President von der Leyen and President Costa welcomed Armenias ambitious reform agenda and expressed their support for Armenias sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democratic reforms.

During the meeting, the leaders welcomed the recent political agreement on the text of the EU-Armenia New Partnership Agenda, a key milestone in their shared commitment to deepening ties. They also noted the progress in the visa liberalisation process and Armenias recent law On the Launch of the process of European integration.

The EU reaffirmed its strong commitment to supporting Armenias resilience and long-term development through substantial financial and technical assistance. Under the Global Gateway strategy, EU investments in Armenia are expected to reach EUR 2.5 billion, fostering inclusive growth and connectivity. The EUR 270 million Resilience and Growth Plan, announced in April 2024, boosted EU funding to Armenia by 50%. With EUR 200 million in grant assistance and EUR 70 million in grant funding to leverage investments, it continues to support Armenias socio-economic reform agenda, closer sectoral cooperation, and investments in energy, transport, and the private sector.

In this context, the EU reaffirmed its support for Armenias Crossroads of Peace initiative, to promote regional connectivity and reconciliation. President von der Leyen and President Costa acknowledged Armenias ongoing efforts to promote stability in the South Caucasus, particularly through peace talks with Azerbaijan and steps towards normalising relations with Türkiye. The leaders highlighted the potential for Armenias inclusion in the EUs regional and economic initiatives, particularly within the Black Sea Strategy.

Furthermore, President von der Leyen and President Costa thanked Armenia for its close cooperation in preventing sanctions circumvention. Together with Prime Minister Pashinyan, they agreed to continue collective efforts to that end.

Security cooperation featured prominently in the discussions. The leaders welcomed the launch of EU-Armenia Security and Defence Consultations, underscoring their shared commitment to peace, stability, and democratic resilience.

Addressing various security concerns, including foreign information manipulation and cyber threats, the EU proposed to collaborate with Armenia to assess needs and identify priority areas for cooperation. To support Armenias information ecosystem, the EU announced a new EUR 1.5 million initiative to strengthen independent media.

EU leaders welcomed Armenia hosting the European Political Community Summit and the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Finally, the leaders concluded that todays meeting represents an important step in EU-Armenia relations and called for continued progress at the next EU-Armenia Partnership Council this autumn.