Armenia hosts two major international meetings on Monday and Tuesday – the European Political Community (EPC) summit and the first EU-Armenia summit – at a tense moment on the geopolitical stage, marked by the war in Iran and complicated relations with Washington and Moscow, international agencies report.
The event brings together almost all European states at the same table, alongside key partners such as Canada, as the European Union seeks to send a message of unity and strength to both Russia and the United States.
Nicușor Dan has arrived in Yerevan and is participating in meetings
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, has arrived in Yerevan to participate in the two summits. He was welcomed at the airport by the President of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan.
Along with Nicușor Dan, the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, has also arrived in Armenia, with both announcing their participation in the meetings organized on the sidelines of the EPC.
During the summit, Nicușor Dan and Maia Sandu are participating in the Group for the Republic of Moldova, an initiative launched in 2024 by Romania and France to strengthen international support for Chisinau.
Also on Monday, the President of Romania is hosting an informal discussion on the impact of the Vertical Gas Corridor on regional energy security and will co-chair, alongside the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, a roundtable dedicated to disinformation and hybrid threats.
EU aims to show unity in front of the US and Russia
The meeting takes place in a complicated context where the European Union seeks to reaffirm its cohesion and global role. According to community sources, the summit is designed as a signal of unity towards both the American administration led by Donald Trump and Russia.
In parallel, Europeans and Canadians are set to discuss strengthening collective security and support for Ukraine, while Washington is focused on the conflict in the Middle East and fragile negotiations in the region.
Canada approaches Europe
An important novelty of the summit is the participation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, marking a strategic rapprochement between Ottawa and Brussels.
The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, emphasized that "Europe and Canada are more than partners with similar visions," while Carney stated that "in a more dangerous and divided world, Canada is getting closer to European allies."
This dynamic contrasts with the positions of the Trump administration, which has frequently criticized NATO and imposed tariffs on the EU.
Armenia, at the center of a geopolitical repositioning
The fact that the summit is taking place in Yerevan is not accidental. Armenia is trying to reduce its dependence on Russia and move closer to the West in a crucial electoral year for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The European Union is expected to reaffirm its support for the Armenian authorities, including in the context of concerns about Russian interference in the legislative elections scheduled for June.
The energy stake and strategic corridors
The Caucasus region holds major strategic importance for the EU, both geopolitically and economically. The Trans-Caspian Corridor, also known as the "Middle Corridor," allows the transport of energy and goods from Central Asia to Europe, bypassing Russia and Iran.
In this context, discussions on energy security, including those initiated by Nicușor Dan, gain additional relevance.
An expanded European forum
The European Political Community, created in 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, brings together almost all European states, except Russia and Belarus, representing approximately 700 million people and a quarter of global GDP.
This year's summit theme is "Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe."