Yerevan Hosts Major European Summit as Pashinyan Welcomes Nearly 50 Leaders
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
The 8th Summit of the European Political Community has officially started in Yerevan, bringing together dozens of leaders from across Europe and beyond. The event is taking place at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex, where a formal welcoming ceremony was held earlier in the day.
The Armenian Report was present on behalf of the Armenian diaspora to cover the summit.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan personally greeted nearly fifty leaders as they arrived at the venue. The summit is one of the largest international political gatherings ever hosted in Armenia.
Among those attending the summit are French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the prime ministers of several major European countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Poland. Leaders of the European Union and the Secretary General of NATO are also present. In a notable first for this format, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is participating as a guest. However, Germany’s Chancellor did not attend, citing a heavy workload.
Turkey’s absence at the highest level has drawn attention. Despite being invited, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan did not travel to Armenia. Instead, Turkey sent Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, marking the highest-level Turkish visit to Armenia since 2008. The two countries still do not have formal diplomatic relations, and Ankara did not provide a public explanation for the decision.
In his opening remarks, Pashinyan emphasized ongoing efforts to stabilize relations in the South Caucasus.
“We are closely working with Baku to strengthen peace between the two countries,” Pashinyan said.
“I hope I will have the opportunity to visit Azerbaijan in 2028, when the European Political Community summit is held there,” the Armenian Prime Minister stated.
He also noted the significance of Azerbaijan’s participation, even though President Ilham Aliyev joined the summit remotely.
“Now we are closely working with Azerbaijan to strengthen and institutionalize peace between our two countries,” he said.
Aliyev, speaking via video link from Baku, criticized European institutions, including the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. He accused them of bias and spreading misinformation about Azerbaijan.
“From the Second Karabakh War—from 2021 to 2026—the European Parliament has adopted 14 resolutions that offensively lie about Azerbaijan. The latest one came just 4 days before this summit,” Aliyev said.
He also argued that European lawmakers should focus more on internal challenges such as migration, Islamophobia, and economic competitiveness.
European Council President António Costa described the summit in Yerevan as historic. He pointed to recent agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan as a positive step that has also helped improve relations between Armenia and Turkey. Costa praised Pashinyan’s policies, saying Armenia has moved closer to Europe and that this progress deserves recognition.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Armenia for the first time. In his speech, he focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine and called for stronger international pressure on Russia.
“We must push Putin toward diplomacy. This summer Putin must decide what he will do—whether to expand the war further or move to diplomacy,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.
He urged European leaders to adopt additional sanctions targeting Russia’s oil sector, military industry, and financial system.
Zelensky also commented on Russia’s upcoming May 9 parade in Moscow.
“It is the first time they will not be able to hold a parade with military equipment because they are afraid drones will buzz over Red Square. This means they are not strong now, and that is why we must continue pressure through sanctions.”
The European Political Community was created on the initiative of President Macron following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since its launch, the platform has focused heavily on security challenges facing Europe, including the war between Russia and Ukraine.
During the Yerevan summit, leaders are expected to take part in panel discussions on hybrid threats, democratic resilience, and economic security. This year’s theme is “Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe.” The session is co-chaired by Pashinyan and Costa, and a joint press conference is planned at the end of the summit. Many leaders are also holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines.
The summit has attracted significant international media attention, with around 400 foreign and 100 local journalists covering the event.
At the same time, a protest took place outside the complex. Demonstrators called for the release of prisoners held in Baku and raised concerns about the rights of the people of Artsakh. The protest aimed to draw the attention of visiting European leaders to ongoing humanitarian issues.
The European Political Community meets twice a year, with previous summits hosted by countries including the Czech Republic, Moldova, Spain, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Albania, and Denmark. After Yerevan, the next meeting will be held in Ireland in the autumn, while Azerbaijan is set to host the summit in the spring of 2028.
In addition to the main summit, an EU-Armenia meeting will take place in Yerevan the following day, with the participation of senior European officials. President Macron is also scheduled to make an official visit to Armenia. After talks in the capital, Macron and Pashinyan will travel to Gyumri, where a large Armenian-French open-air concert is planned, marking another moment of cultural and political cooperation between the two countries.
—
Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.
Comments