On March 30, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in Armenia as part of a regional tour that included visits to both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
This marks the first visit of the German president to both countries. Steinmeier is scheduled to visit Azerbaijan on April 2.
During his stay in Yerevan, Steinmeier has held a meeting with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Nikol Pashinyan and his wife, Anna Hakobyan, hosted visiting President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Mrs. Elke Büdenbender at the Government House in Yerevan.
During the meeting, the German president considered cooperation in the fields of economy, investments, infrastructure development, energy, tourism, education and culture to be promising.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan on Monday to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Steinmeier laid a wreath at the memorial and placed flowers at the eternal flame, honoring the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians killed in the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
The German President’s trip, however, sparked diplomatic tensions in Azerbaijan. During his visit, he posted a photo on social media featuring the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) flag, alongside remarks highlighting that the region was historically populated mainly by Armenians.
The post quickly drew backlash from Azerbaijan, which summoned German Ambassador Ralf Harlemann to the country’s Foreign Ministry in protest.
Shortly after, Steinmeier’s post was removed from his social media page.
