Costa and von der Leyen welcome Armenia`s ambitious reform agenda 

ArmInfo.  Today in Brussels, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, met with Armenian Prime Minister  Nikol Pashinyan   to reaffirm and advance the growing partnership  between the European Union and Armenia.

According to the European Council, Costa and von der Leyen welcomed  Armenia's ambitious reform agenda and expressed their support for the  country's 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 with satisfaction the progress in the visa liberalisation  process and Armenia's recent law 'On the Launch of the process of  European integration'.

The EU reaffirmed its strong commitment to supporting Armenia's  resilience and long-term development through substantial financial  and technical assistance. Under the Global Gateway strategy, EU  investments in Armenia are now expected to reach ?2.5 billion,  fostering inclusive growth and connectivity. The ?270 million  Resilience and Growth Plan, announced in April 2024, boosted EU  funding to Armenia by 50%.  With ?200 million in grant assistance and  ?70 million in grant funding to leverage investments, it continues to  support Armenia's 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 Armenia's  Crossroads of Peace initiative, to promote regional connectivity and  reconciliation. President Costa and President von der Leyen also  acknowledged Armenia's ongoing efforts to promote stability in the  South Caucasus, particularly through continued engagement in peace  talks with Azerbaijan and steps towards the normalisation of  relations with Turkiye.  The Leaders also underlined the importance  of the possibility to include Armenia in the European Union's  regional and economic initiatives, particularly within the framework  of the Black Sea Strategy. 

     Furthermore, President Costa and President von der Leyen thanked  Armenia for its close cooperation and the steps taken 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 a range of security  concerns, including foreign information manipulation and  interference, disinformation, and cyber threats, the EU proposed to  work together with Armenia to assess its needs, identify priority  areas for cooperation, and leverage available EU instruments. To  support Armenia's information ecosystem, the EU announced a new ?1.5  million envelope to strengthen independent media.  EU leaders  welcomed that Armenia will host the European Political Community  Summit and the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on  Biological Diversity.  

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