YEREVAN, Armenia — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Armenia on Thursday, announcing an 18-million euro ($20.5-million) assistance package along with the removal of import duties on the vast majority of Armenian agricultural products. The move is intended to bolster Armenia’s growing relationship with the European Union as the country distances itself from its longtime ally, Russia.
The visit follows a parliamentary election last month in which Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s party strengthened its grip on power — a vote widely interpreted as a referendum on the country’s geopolitical direction. In the weeks leading up to that election, Moscow imposed a series of trade restrictions on Armenian goods, including bans on imports of flowers, brandy, wine, and fruit.
Von der Leyen did not mince words about Russia’s actions, stating that “Armenia is still facing significant economic pressure from Russia,” and characterizing it as “nothing short of economic coercion.”
“But rest assured: when pressure mounts on our partners, the EU steps up,” she added.
She explained that the 18-million euro payment represents the final portion of a larger 52-million euro ($59.4-million) support commitment the EU made in early June, designed to help Armenia strengthen and diversify its trade relationships.
Additionally, von der Leyen announced that the EU will open its market to nearly 80% of Armenian exports on a tariff-free basis, a step she said would help “re-route products that currently still rely heavily on the Russian market.”
Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the EU’s backing and highlighted the urgency of resolving technical barriers to allow Armenian agricultural products into the EU market, noting that the country has entered its harvest season.
Russia, which maintains a military base on Armenian soil, has cautioned that Yerevan’s westward shift could bring serious political and economic fallout. President Vladimir Putin has drawn comparisons between Armenia’s path and that of Ukraine — remarks observers have characterized as barely disguised threats. Putin has also suggested that Russia’s war against Ukraine stemmed from Ukraine’s own attempt to sign an association agreement with the EU.
Ties between Moscow and Yerevan deteriorated significantly after Azerbaijan reclaimed the Karabakh region, a mountainous area that had been held for decades by ethnic Armenian forces with backing from Armenia — the product of a lengthy conflict between the two neighboring nations. Armenia accused Russian peacekeepers stationed in the region of standing by while Azerbaijan launched its offensive, an allegation Moscow has denied while citing its focus on the war in Ukraine.
In August 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted both Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at a signing ceremony aimed at putting an end to their long-running conflict. The agreement included provisions for the creation of a new transit corridor linking Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan.
Von der Leyen’s trip to Armenia came one day after she visited Azerbaijan, where she unveiled a separate 200-million euro ($228.6-million) Global Gateway investment package. She noted that the EU, working alongside financial partners, hopes to mobilize as much as 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) for strategic projects in transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure across the broader South Caucasus region.
