Armenien

Armenia’s relationship with Russia “can no longer be the same as it was before”, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told RFI in an exclusive interview in Yerevan, as his government seeks closer ties with the European Union without abandoning its longstanding partnership with Moscow.

[…] Senior regional officials and executives from more than 40 companies gathered in New York on September 23 to discuss the next steps for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a centerpiece of Washington's efforts to turn the Armenia-Azerbaijan opening into greater regional trade and investment. … Washington envisions TRIPP as a multimodal corridor through southern Armenia linking Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave while creating a wider east-west connection between the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and Western markets.

Part of a peace deal between Yerevan and Baku, the planned corridor would run across Armenian territory, linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave while opening a new east-west trade artery bypassing Russia and Iran. … Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has in recent weeks pushed for the involvement of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. But both countries, observers say, are wary of angering Russia, a key political and economic player in Central Asia.

Armenian police have arrested former President Robert Kocharian, now leader of the country’s second-largest opposition party, amid accusations of corruption-related offenses.

Armenia’s Pashinyan laid out Yerevan's decision to formally apply for EU membership “in the near future” and to call for a national referendum, challenging Russia’s regional influence and setting the stage for a historic geopolitical shift.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) may discuss suspending Armenia's participation rights at the November summit, Russia's permanent representative to the CSTO and Ambassador-at-Large of the Foreign Ministry, Viktor Vasiliev, said on Thursday.

The Armenian government approved a bill July 16 to formalize the country’s role in the development of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or TRIPP, which is envisioned as a key node in the emerging Middle Corridor trade network.

On 13 July, the European Union Partnership Mission in Armenia (EUPM Armenia) jointly with the Armenian Foreign Ministry organised a roundtable event timed to coincide with the adoption of the EU decision on the launch of EUPM Armenia. 

The Council is launching today the EU Partnership Mission in Armenia (EUPM Armenia) under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The aim of this advisory civilian mission is to support the Armenian authorities in enhancing the country’s resilience against hybrid threats and ability to address evolving security challenges. 

-> Read our ZIF kompakt on this new mission but also on the status of peace negotiations and the role of other EU instruments in Armenia (German only). 

Today, the European Commission has disbursed €34 million to Armenia to help mitigate the impact of Russia's trade restrictions on the country's private sector. Just two weeks after President von der Leyen's call with Prime Minister Pashinyan, the EU is delivering swiftly on its commitments to support Armenia and its people.