European Leaders Hold Summits in Armenia Amid Discussions on Multipolar World Order

French President Emmanuel Macron stated during a visit to Yerevan on May 4, 2026, that Armenia has chosen the path toward Europe, marking a shift away from Russia's political orbit. Macron told members of Armenia's French community in the capital that for decades, people had become accustomed to Armenia being a satellite of Russia.

He added that Armenia has made the choice to break free from this constraint and turn towards Europe.

Dozens of European leaders, including Macron, were in Yerevan this week for the European Political Community summit and a joint Armenian-EU summit. Armenia's President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Macron, and Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan toasted during a state dinner at the presidential palace in Yerevan on May 4, 2026.

The summit, founded in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, highlights Armenia's growing independence from Moscow, as Yerevan seeks closer EU ties following a 2023 attack by Azerbaijan that Russia did nothing to stop.

Armenia has been building ties with Europe for years, driven by frustration over Moscow's perceived failure to protect it during conflicts with Azerbaijan. Macron said France provided material support for Armenia during those conflicts. He noted that Russia was not there, any more than it is there for Venezuela when there are problems.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the European Political Community summit in Armenia, becoming the first non-European leader to do so. On Monday, Carney said he believed the international order will be rebuilt out of Europe. S.

Leadership of the free world was coming to an end. S. President Donald Trump. Carney suggested Europe should lead efforts to restore the multilateral system.

The summit's location in Armenia underscores its involvement as a sign of growing independence from Moscow. Brazil’s EU Ambassador Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva told Euronews that the international order cannot be rebuilt by Europe alone. He argued that all countries will have to participate in an increasingly multipolar world.

Da Costa e Silva said, 'If we're going to rebuild something, it has to be rebuilt by everybody. Da Costa e Silva added, 'Europe has a place, but I'm not convinced that (the world order) will be rebuilt from here. His remarks align with Brazil's foreign policy, pursued by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which calls for a bigger role for Latin America and the Global South in international relations.

Da Costa e Silva hailed the trade deal between the EU and the Mercosur bloc as a victory for multilateralism. The EU-Mercosur trade deal provisionally took effect last Friday. The agreement, sealed in January, is the product of 25 years of negotiations.

Mercosur comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. He described the deal as built on multilateralism, on the idea of cooperation, on the ideal of dialogue of working together, adding that it is a very strong signal about what the Mercosur countries and Europe stand for. The European Parliament has referred the EU-Mercosur agreement to the EU's top court.

Da Costa e Silva expressed confidence that the court will rule the agreement is perfectly in line with the legal agreements of the EU. Concern has mounted in recent weeks over the possible concentration of quotas allocated to products such as South American beef. Members of the European Parliament claim that Mercosur agricultural heavyweights could dominate access to the quotas.

Da Costa e Silva warned against the spread of disinformation and assured that quotas are managed by both sides. France is home to one of the largest Armenian diaspora communities in the world, and France and Armenia have a history of close diplomatic relations. S.

This development comes amid broader European efforts to strengthen alliances and production capabilities. The shifts in Armenia and trade agreements reflect ongoing changes in global alignments.