This is Wonderful News, and We Can Do More: von der Leyen

In anticipation of the trilateral meeting between Armenia, the EU, and the USA in Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, announced that the EU has pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder with Armenia, and today it is fulfilling that promise. According to Armenpress, von der Leyen made this statement during a press conference prior to the meeting with Prime Minister Pashinyan and Secretary of State Blinken.

Von der Leyen emphasized that the vision for partnership with Armenia will be realized through a program aimed at enhancing the resilience of Armenia. “We will invest to make Armenia's economy and society stronger and more resilient to shocks,” said the President of the European Commission, referring to a €270 million grant that will particularly help small and medium-sized enterprises.

According to von der Leyen, the EU will invest in infrastructure projects in Armenia, particularly in the Black Sea electric cable project, as well as in renewable energy production. She welcomed Armenia's government’s "Peace Crossroads" initiative and noted that the EU will also consider cross-border transport when conditions permit.

The President of the European Commission spoke about a new support package—the European Economic and Investment Program for Armenia. “It has already mobilized half a billion euros for investments. This is wonderful news, and we can do more. That is why we recently launched the investment coordination platform to identify new projects and accelerate their implementation,” von der Leyen said.

She praised the efforts aimed at Armenia’s democratic reforms despite the challenges the country faces and reaffirmed that the EU will continue to support the reforms through advisory, technical assistance, and funding.

Ursula von der Leyen added that they are not forgetting the dire situation of the displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. “The humanitarian situation of refugees in Armenia remains a priority. We have provided more than €30 million to support them and are ready to do more,” the President stated, expressing her pleasure that they can count on the United States as a loyal and aligned partner in these efforts.

“We will continue to work together for the future of Armenia in a stable and prosperous South Caucasus region,” concluded the President of the European Commission.