Russia Seeks to Spread Misinformation About EU Values: Statements from Pashinyan and Merz

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, made statements for media representatives. The Prime Minister's office presented these remarks:

“Chancellor Merz: Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, to Berlin. I am glad to meet with my dear Nikol today. This once again emphasizes the positive dynamics of relations between our countries in recent years. In May of this year, the Federal President visited Armenia; it was the first visit of a German President to Armenia. I personally will probably be in Armenia soon, as the European Political Community Summit will take place in Yerevan on May 4, 2026, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hosting it. This is a significant part of my schedule. Our close cooperation is crucial in these turbulent times.

Regarding your region, I sincerely congratulate you, Mr. Prime Minister, on reaching an agreement on a peace accord with the President of Azerbaijan. That is a significant achievement. The Federal Government has consistently supported both Armenia and Azerbaijan on these matters. I am pleased about the agreement reached in March and the one concerning transit and routes in Washington in August. This is very important for prosperity, peace, and development. For the South Caucasus, this is a very positive signal that resonates beyond this region. I encourage you to take the next steps to resolve outstanding issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We discussed this in detail during our private conversation; Germany will continue to support both sides in this matter.

Today, in this context, we have signed a declaration of the strategic agenda for bilateral partnership between Germany and Armenia. Our two countries are working together in all areas. The 'Goethe' Institute will open in Yerevan, there is collaboration between universities and cities. I am pleased to see several 'Tumo' centers opening in Germany at this moment, where young people are creatively exploring new technologies.

We have also intensified our relationships in the economic sector; German companies are increasing their interest in Armenia as the region and Armenia are crucial as a hub between Asia and Europe. We need to utilize our potential. For that, a framework of conditions and peace, a rule of law, and fair competition are necessary. As I mentioned, before making significant investments, German companies thoroughly study the area. It is not easy for small and medium-sized enterprises to make large investments in distant countries, but they are very reliable and trustworthy partners when they see the right framework conditions in a specific country. That is why reforms taking place in Armenia are very important. They are quite challenging, as we know from our German experience, and I am confident that this will yield results.

Ladies and gentlemen, Prime Minister Pashinyan shared with me his understanding of Armenia's development, the reforms in democracy, and the vision of a society that wants to live peacefully with its neighbors and build prosperity. Such democratic development includes the parliamentary elections taking place in June in Armenia. However, there is a disturbing fact where enemies of democracy, particularly Russia, are attempting to sow fear about the rapprochement with the European Union and the West, spreading misinformation about EU values—sabotage, disinformation, drones, UAVs—with the intention to destabilize the situation. This is, of course, happening. We see it daily through devastation in Ukraine. In conclusion, I want to say that this aggressive war by Russia must stop, and in these days, we are intensely addressing this issue to establish a just and lasting peace. Germany has a clear path; without Ukraine and without Europeans, they cannot make decisions about their own future, and there should not be a coerced, imposed peace for Kyiv.

In this context, we have discussed how Germany can contribute to Armenia’s resilience. It is clear to us that we seek to assist in core issues relating to sovereignty and strengthening security within a broader framework for Armenia. Thank you, Prime Minister, for your visit to Berlin, thank you for the excellent cooperation, and we look forward to deepening it.

PM Nikol Pashinyan: Honorable Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, esteemed attendees, I am pleased to officially visit Germany and would like to first thank you for the warm welcome. This visit is indeed historic, as today the relations between Armenia and Germany enter a phase of strategic partnership, which was recently cemented by the signing of the declaration of the strategic agenda for bilateral partnership between Armenia and Germany. Our relations are based on mutual respect, trust, and a common commitment to values such as human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

We recorded with satisfaction the consistent development and deepening of cooperation between Armenia and Germany in various sectors, including trade, education, science, culture, and environmental protection. Armenia highly appreciates Germany’s continuous support of Armenia's democratic reforms and sustainable development, which was reaffirmed during the intergovernmental negotiations held in Berlin in October.

We discussed joint steps toward expanding trade and economic relations between our countries. Germany is one of Armenia's main trading partners in the European Union, and we are interested in further deepening mutually beneficial economic cooperation. We emphasized the actively developing cooperation with Germany in the education and science fields. In this regard, we noted with satisfaction that Armenian educational initiatives, such as the TUMO Creative Technologies Centers, have achieved great success in many cities in Germany, providing youth with opportunities to obtain technological education and generate innovative ideas in a wonderful environment.

We had detailed discussions with the Chancellor on pressing issues on the international agenda. We agree that in this unprecedented period filled with challenges, where democracies face rapidly spreading and often hybrid threats, only through coordinated and effective actions by like-minded countries can we strengthen our collective democratic resilience.

My visit prioritizes the creation and reinforcement of economic ties. In this context, I hope that the favorable environment created in Armenia and around it will evoke renewed interest among German businesspeople to invest in our country and to enhance collaboration with Armenian entrepreneurs.

I also presented to my counterpart the transformative developments in the South Caucasus following the Peace Summit in Washington on August 8, 2025, expressing gratitude for Germany's support in the institutionalization of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I outlined the wide opportunities arising for the development of trade and economic and business ties and infrastructure expansion amid the unblocking of regional communication routes in the South Caucasus, underscoring the importance of initiatives like the 'Peace Crossroads' project and the 'TRIPP Route' communication program.

I am confident that these projects will become a crucial link for the Middle Corridor, which is also of great significance for Germany. Honorable attendees, esteemed Chancellor, Germany is an important partner for Armenia both bilaterally and within the Armenia-EU partnership. In this regard, we both noted with satisfaction the significant progress recorded in Armenia-EU relations in recent years, reaffirming the commitment of the Armenian Government to strengthen our multifaceted partnership with the European Union.

The European integration process gaining new momentum in Armenia is rooted in the aspirations of the Armenian people and their commitment to democratic values, which was also expressed in March this year by the adoption of the law on the launch of the process of Armenia’s membership in the European Union by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. In this context, I greatly value Germany's support for the deepening of the Armenia-EU partnership, expecting continued political backing on the challenging and lengthy path toward the European Union.

I invited my counterpart to participate in the European Political Community Summit to be held in Yerevan next May and am glad that the Chancellor has already highlighted his plans and possibility to visit Yerevan next year. Your Excellency, esteemed Chancellor Merz, in conclusion, I must reaffirm that Armenia greatly values the continued development of diverse relations with Germany. I am hopeful that through our joint efforts, we will manage to infuse our partnership with new energy and quality for the benefit of our friendly peoples and states. Thank you.”

Prime Minister Pashinyan and Chancellor Merz also answered questions from media representatives.