Von der Leyen courts Armenia in strategic pivot from Moscow

The diplomatic push includes a proposal to eliminate tariffs on 80 percent of Armenian exports, a move intended to offset the economic pressure exerted by the Kremlin. During the meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the presence of EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos underscored that the path toward formal candidacy remains a tangible possibility for the republic.

This mission follows a stop in Azerbaijan, where von der Leyen focused on mediating the long-standing dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. By facilitating a peace process and advocating for the opening of regional borders, the EU aims to secure a strategic trade corridor. Von der Leyen maintains that these structural shifts will integrate Armenia into a critical international crossroads, effectively insulating the country from its previous reliance on Russian markets.