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Historic summit/ European leaders gather today in "Russia's courtyard" (Armenia)

2026-05-04 08:23:13Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Ursula von der Leyen, Nikol Pashinyan, António Costa

European leaders are gathering in Armenia for two unprecedented summits in a country that has long been considered Russia's closest ally in the South Caucasus.

Prime Minister Edi Rama is also present at the summit.

The head of the Albanian government arrived last night at the meeting venue in Yerevan at the same time as NATO chief Mark Rutte and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

This 8th meeting has brought together leaders from across the continent in Yerevan, Armenia, under the motto "Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe".

The symbolism for this country of less than three million people is huge. For starters, Armenia is a member of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Eurasian Economic Union, and Russia also has a military base on Armenian territory.

As the BBC writes, this Monday, more than 30 European leaders and the Prime Minister of Canada will attend the summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in the capital Yerevan.

On Tuesday, a bilateral EU-Armenia summit will be held for the first time, with the participation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.

Armenia is heavily dependent on Russia for energy, buying gas at favorable prices. President Putin has previously pointed out that Russia sells gas to Armenia much cheaper than on the European market.

The turning point in Armenia's rapprochement with Europe was the 2023 war with Azerbaijan. When Azerbaijan took full control of Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia, although it had peacekeepers on the ground, did not intervene, which weakened Yerevan's trust in Moscow.

Since then, Armenia has begun to move closer to the European Union. In 2025, the Armenian parliament approved a law to launch the EU accession process, while peace negotiations with Azerbaijan have also accelerated, including a landmark US-brokered agreement.

However, the process remains fragile and has led to diplomatic tensions. Azerbaijan has suspended cooperation with the European Parliament, while Russia has openly expressed dissatisfaction with Armenia's rapprochement with the West.

Moscow has also warned that it is not possible for Armenia to be part of both the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union. Meanwhile, tensions have also been accompanied by cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, according to Armenian authorities.

The European Union has approved a civilian mission in Armenia to combat disinformation, cyberattacks and foreign influence, particularly in the run-up to parliamentary elections.

However, without a clear commitment to EU membership or replacing energy dependence on Russia, Armenia still remains in the midst of a “delicate balance” between East and West.


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