Armenia Hosts EU Summits Amid Shift From Russia
European leaders are gathering in Yerevan for two major summits, marking a significant moment for Armenia, long viewed as one of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies in the region. More than 30 European leaders, along with Canada’s prime minister, are set to attend a summit of the European Political Community. This will be followed by the first-ever bilateral summit between the European Union and Armenia, attended by Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa. The high-level meetings highlight a notable shift for Armenia, which remains a member of the Eurasian Economic Union and hosts a Russian military base. The country also relies heavily on Russian energy, importing gas at preferential rates. Armenia’s changing geopolitical stance accelerated after the 2023 conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. During the crisis, Russia did not intervene decisively despite its peacekeeping presence, prompting concerns in Yerevan about […]
