Armenia, the EU, and US have demonstrated closer ties following what Armenians perceive as Russia’s betrayal on Nagorno-Karabakh.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan convened in Brussels on Friday (5 April) to introduce a new aid package from the West. This package includes €270m from the EU and $65m (€60m) from the US.
This funding is aimed at bolstering Armenia’s “economic and democratic resilience,” such as through the modernization of its energy grid and enhancement of grain harvests.
Additionally, some of the funds will be used to assist the 100,000 ethnic Armenian refugees displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, which was reclaimed by Azerbaijan last year in a significant defeat, with Russian peacekeepers remaining inactive.
Blinken highlighted a “moment of choice for the Armenian people and its leaders” regarding recent outreach to the West.
Von der Leyen spoke of a “new chapter” in relations, emphasizing the alignment of values and interests between the EU and Armenia.
Pashinyan echoed her sentiments, expressing a shared vision of a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future for Armenia.
The meeting on Friday drew criticism from Azerbaijan and Turkey, with the latter suggesting that it could lead to geopolitical confrontation in the South Caucasus.
Despite the absence of any mention of Russia during the meeting, James O’Brien, the US diplomat for Eurasian affairs, remarked on Russia’s historical role in Armenia and its ongoing dissemination of anti-Western disinformation.
Blinken’s conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Alyiev prior to the Brussels meeting was described as “good and constructive” by O’Brien.
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In 2013, Armenia intended to sign an EU association agreement, aligning itself more closely with the EU. However, under pressure from Russia, then-President Serzh Sargsyan opted to join the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union instead.
The events of the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2023 revealed to Armenia that Russia’s assurances of protection against Azerbaijan were unfounded, prompting a shift towards the West.
Amid Russia’s inaction and Armenia’s freeze on CSTO cooperation, discussions of potential EU membership have emerged in Armenia.
Former NATO chief Anders Fogh-Rasmussen noted this shift towards the West in Armenia, highlighting a significant geopolitical change in the South Caucasus.
