For the European Union, the key priority remains the normalization of Armenia’s relations with both Azerbaijan and Turkey. This was stated by the head of European diplomacy Kaya Kallas at a press conference in Brussels, held jointly with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan.
According to Kallas, normalization is important for transport connectivity, economic development and the well-being of residents of all countries in the region. “So we discussed what exactly we can do for this,” she said, answering a question about possible EU support for peace processes.
The head of EU diplomacy noted that the European Union can organize meetings with partners and parties, discussing issues in both bilateral and multilateral formats.
“We have already held regional forums, where we invited everyone to discuss specific steps. Sometimes everything comes down to seemingly small issues – the opening of checkpoints, transport accessibility, railways, energy infrastructure,” she noted.
Kallas emphasized that the EU is ready for more serious actions to support normalization processes between countries, and called on Azerbaijan and Turkey to take steps in this direction.
The diplomat also said that the European Union will allocate €50 million to Armenia, including to “counteract” Russia. “The EU is pleased to announce the allocation of €50 million to Armenia, which, in particular, will be aimed at demining efforts and building confidence-building measures in the region. Our funding will also be aimed at identifying and countering external interference,” she said.
Kallas in her speech accused Moscow of “influencing the situation in Armenia.”
The European Union intends to significantly expand its participation in projects related to energy security and sustainability Armenia. As stated by EU High Commissioner for Enlargement Martha Kos, the EU will invest 500 million euros in the development of the country’s energy infrastructure and its integration into regional networks.
The funds are intended to connect the Armenian energy system with the Georgian one, as well as for further work on the Armenia-Turkey line, which, according to Kos, should reduce Yerevan’s dependence on Russian energy resources.