Armenia, EU sign ‘connectivity partnership’ amid inaugural bilateral summit

Armenia and the EU on Tuesday signed a “connectivity partnership” ahead of an inaugural bilateral summit held in the South Caucasus nation’s capital, Yerevan.

The document was signed during a ceremony ahead of a press conference at the first Armenia-EU summit and was overseen by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa.

The ceremony also included other matters, including the initialing of a working arrangement between the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the Armenian Interior Ministry.

Earlier, Pashinyan, Costa, and von der Leyen also held a separate bilateral meeting ahead of the event.

The Armenia-EU summit follows the 8th European Political Community summit, which brought more than 40 European leaders to the Armenian capital just a day earlier.

It also comes as Armenia's relations with Russia have become increasingly strained since 2023.

While remaining a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, Armenia has formally declared its ambition to seek EU membership and has suspended its participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan with von der Leyen and Costa following the summit, Pashinyan said he expects the EU to help his country develop solar energy.

According to Costa, Armenia has significant potential for solar energy development but lacks the necessary technologies.

"There are limitless opportunities for the development of solar energy in our country. There are regions in Armenia where the number of sunny days per year exceeds 300. This is a huge potential. But we don't have enough battery stations. In this sense, we are grateful to our partners in the EU for their support in the development of these stations," he said.

The Armenian prime minster noted that there are other technologies based on the accumulation of water during the day and its utilization at night, adding that Yerevan is currently working with European partners on the development of hydrogen technology.

Pashinyan argued that “with the right strategy,” Armenia may not only become “a self-sufficient country in terms of energy,” but could also develop an energy export potential.

In addition, Armenia expects the EU to assist "in combating the spread of disinformation and hatred in social networks," he said.

"We are facing this problem today, and of course, we hope that the European Union will assist us here in terms of sharing experiences or making the tools already implemented in the EU more accessible for use in Armenia,” Pashinyan remarked.

He also thanked the European partners for their assistance in “ensuring the independence of the judiciary” and addressing issues related, among other things, to countering “hybrid threats,” without specifying further.