Nikol Pashinyan Delivers Speech at Closing Session of European Political Community Summit

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, delivered a speech at the closing session of the European Political Community summit held in Copenhagen. In particular, the Prime Minister noted, "Allow me to congratulate Denmark for organizing the seventh summit of the European Political Community at an excellent level. Today we discussed urgent issues that drive the political, security, and economic agendas of our states. Based on the success of all EPC summits, Armenia is preparing to host the next, the 8th summit in Yerevan.

Hosting the 8th EPC summit in Armenia will strengthen our integration into the European family and provide an opportunity to showcase our progress in the area of democratic reforms. Saying this, I would like to once again thank each of you for the honor of hosting you in Yerevan.

A closer connection with Europe is of strategic importance for the South Caucasus region. The EPC summits have also played an important role in promoting peace and stability in our region. Notably, it was during the same summit held in Prague in 2022 that Armenia and Azerbaijan reaffirmed respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, based on the 1991 Alma-Ata declaration. This agreement was reached in the presence and active participation of French President Emmanuel Macron and former President of the European Council Charles Michel.

Last year, again within the framework of the EPC, Armenia and Azerbaijan mutually supported each other's candidacy to host one of the upcoming EPC summits. These agreements essentially laid the foundation for the historic summit that took place in Washington, where President Aliyev and I declared peace. Now, when you visit Yerevan in 2026 and Baku in 2027, you will see two states working towards strengthening and institutionalizing peace and connectivity.

In light of this, one of the main themes of the EPC summit in Yerevan will be connectivity. The implementation of the Middle Corridor and the unhindered connection of goods, energy, and optical fiber cables between Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia represent mutual interests.

Moreover, I believe it is especially important today to strengthen Europe’s capacity to combat the hybrid threats we face while simultaneously preserving democratic governance, the rule of law, free and fair elections, and political pluralism, even in the face of internal or external pressures.

As Armenia will also host the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) next year, we hope that the EPC can also serve as a platform for discussing the green economy transition agenda, with the understanding that the outcomes of our discussions will later be presented on the global stage during COP17.

Armenia has already begun preparing for the 8th EPC summit. In the coming months, we will share some new ideas and initiatives aimed at further strengthening the European Political Community and giving new impetus.

Once again thanking Copenhagen, I invite all of you to Yerevan on May 4, 2026. But we are also preparing an informal, friendly reception on the evening of May 3, Sunday. So, I hope to see you all there. It will be a great honor and pleasure to host you all."