Official: The Dutch government will help Armenia diversify its economy

ArmInfo. The Netherlands highly values its friendship and close partnership with Armenia, which has reached a new level in recent years. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen stated this on October 27 in Yerevan at a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan.

The diplomat added that over the past year, Armenia and the Netherlands have entered a new stage of strategic partnership, strengthening trade, economic, and political ties.

"I greatly appreciate that today we were able to hold in-depth discussions, covering all areas and agenda items. We also

discussed export restrictions imposed by Russia, which create difficulties for businesses, including in the floriculture sector. We warmly welcome Armenia's opportunity to utilize the EU's autonomous trade measures—an instrument to which the Netherlands also contributes!" We hope Armenia will take full advantage of this opportunity. In addition to EU support, the Netherlands is also committed to providing bilateral support. Today, I will also visit greenhouses and learn about the challenges faced by horticultural entrepreneurs due to the problems created by Russia," said the Dutch Foreign Minister.

He also expressed confidence that one of the key tools is diversifying export chains: finding relevant markets and buyers for their products other than Russia.

"We look forward to seeing how these partnerships and connections develop and how Dutch and European markets open up! The Dutch government will continue to assist Armenia on this path to diversification. I can assure you that the Dutch Import Promotion Center will do everything possible to continue its activities," added Berendsen. He also invited Mirzoyan to The Hague to continue the dialogue begun in Yerevan.

As a reminder, Russia introduced gradual restrictions on imports of Armenian agricultural products in April. The official reason cited was sanitary and phytosanitary violations and a lack of safety oversight by authorized Armenian agencies. The real reason for the restrictions, however, is the Armenian leadership's overtly anti-Russian actions against the backdrop of Yerevan's commitment to rapprochement with the European Union. These "sanctions" have already led to a decline in trade: in the first five months of 2026, mutual trade between Armenia and Russia fell by 21.5% compared to the same period last year. Difficulties have also arisen in agricultural exports: due to the blockage during the summer peak season, exports of Armenian fruits, vegetables, and flowers plummeted by 74.5%. Experts believe the financial losses to businesses amount to tens of millions of dollars, creating the threat of mass bankruptcy for hundreds of greenhouse and farming enterprises.