EU and Armenia Sign Connectivity Agreement at Yerevan Summit

The European Political Community summit venue was surrounded by tight security on May 4, 2026, amid protests where demonstrators held photos of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan. These events occur as Armenia faces a parliamentary election in June 2026, with Pashinyan in office since 2018.

Armenia's parliament passed a law in 2025 formally declaring the country's intention to seek EU membership, building on the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that has governed EU-Armenia ties since fully taking effect in 2021. An EU monitoring mission has been deployed along Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan for several years, and a new EU mission targeting hybrid threats has recently been approved.

Armenia's relations with Russia have grown increasingly strained since 2023, when Azerbaijan fully reclaimed the Karabakh region, ending decades-long rule by ethnic Armenian separatists.

Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers of failing to stop Azerbaijan's onslaught in the Karabakh region in 2023. Moscow rejected the accusations, stating its troops did not have a mandate to intervene. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.

Armenia froze its participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization in 2024. Armenia remains a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Pashinyan in Moscow earlier in 2026 that Armenia could not simultaneously belong to both the Eurasian Economic Union and the EU, noting that Yerevan receives Russian natural gas at prices far below European market rates.

Pashinyan acknowledged the incompatibility but stated Armenia could combine them for now with deepening EU cooperation. The summit comes amid diplomatic strains with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the EU ambassador last week before May 5, 2026, to protest a European Parliament resolution demanding the release of Armenian prisoners of war and criticizing the treatment of Armenians in Karabakh.

Azerbaijani lawmakers voted to suspend all cooperation with the European Parliament following the summoning. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the European Political Community conference via video link on May 4, 2026, accusing the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of 'double standards' for placing sanctions on Azerbaijan's delegation.