Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission welcomed Armenia’s democratic reforms, during her speech before the “Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia” meeting in Brussels.
Von der Leyen, in particular said:
“Prime Minister [Nikol Pashinyan], I want to congratulate you for your efforts to carry out democratic reforms. And this, despite the challenges faced. I also welcome the measures that Armenia has taken against the circumvention of our sanctions against Russia. In particular, to make sure that lethal equipment and technologies do not end up in the hands of the Russian military. This shows that the European Union and Armenia are increasingly aligned in values and interests. Now, we are going to look today at the broader partnership. And let us take it forward with a new and ambitious Partnership Agenda between the European Union and Armenia. This is what we will be discussing in more detail in a moment.
We are not forgetting, Prime Minister, about the plight of the displaced Karabakh Armenians. The humanitarian situation of refugees in Armenia remains a priority. We have provided over EUR 30 million in support for the refugees since last September. We are ready to do more to support the long-term integration of refugees.
To conclude, I want to say how happy I am to receive both of you here in the Berlaymont. Because Europe and Armenia share a long and common history. The time has come to write now a new chapter. And I am very glad, Secretary Blinken, to count on the United States as a committed and like-minded partner in these efforts. We will continue to work all together for the future of Armenia, in a stable and prosperous South Caucasus region”.
