Elections

The president of the European Commission, Ursual von der Leyen, on Thursday (2 July) made a short visit to the Armenian Capital, Yerevan, during which she met the Armenian leader, Nicol Pashinyan. This was Van der Leyen's second visit to Armenia in as many months. During the visit the President of the European Commission reiterated Europe's support for Pashinyan and his government, following the recent elections: On 7 June, the people of Armenia spoke clearly. They chose democracy. The rule of law. They chose reform and peace. They chose an open, welcoming, and inclusive society. And they chose to partner with the European Union. And together, we must now turn their aspirations into results. You can count on us.  Speaking ata joint press conference after her meeting, Van der Leyen said: "First of all, I want to congratulate you on your electoral victory. These elections have shown, once again, the strength of Armenia's democracy. The spirit of the Velvet Revolution which you led in 2018 is alive and well. Armenia is carrying on the path of democracy, reform, peace, and of a closer partnership with Europe. And I am here to tell you: you can count on us. While Armenia is coming closer to the EU, the South Caucasus is coming closer together. The initialling of the peace agreement last year was a history-making moment. The most consequential step this region has taken in decades. The same goes for the continued normalisation of relations with Türkiye. These decisions required political courage and leadership. And I know their rewards will be immense. Opening borders will transform Armenia's economic future. And it will anchor Armenia at the heart of one of the world's most strategic crossroads. We will stand by you to turn this vision into reality." (click image to read more)

Since the initialling of the peace agreement in Washington in August 2025, Armenia and Azerbaijan have taken important steps towards peace. Meetings on border delimitation were held in Gabala in November 2025 and Aghveran in April 2026 between Armenia’s Mher Grigoryan and Azerbaijan’s Shahin Mustafayev. Civil society engagement has also advanced through the Peace Bridge initiative, launched in November 2025 with the support of both governments, which has facilitated direct and cross-border dialogue between Armenian and Azerbaijani representatives. While this remains a government-run initiative, it is important and praiseworthy. At the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan on 4 May, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev welcomed the progress made and reiterated their commitment to the peace process.  There has also been progress on TRIPP, one of the core elements of the peace agreement. TRIPP, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, is a proposed transport and connectivity route through Armenia linking Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, intended to support regional trade, transit and normalisation while respecting Armenia’s sovereignty. Despite the crisis in the Middle East and Iran’s concerns regarding American support for the project, Armenia and the United States signed the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation Concerning TRIPP in June 2026 to support its implementation. (Read the full briefing by clicking on the image above)