On May 16, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the opening ceremony of the 6th European Political Community (EPC) Summit held in the Albanian capital, Tirana. Hosted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, the summit brought together a broad spectrum of European leaders for discussions on regional cooperation and security.
During the high-profile gathering, Pashinyan engaged in several sideline meetings, including brief encounters with two of Armenia’s most prominent neighbors—Turkey and Azerbaijan.
A short but notable exchange took place between Prime Minister Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an. A video circulated online showed the two leaders engaged in a brief conversation, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev later joining them.
Later, Pashinyan held a separate meeting with President Aliyev. The discussion, which took place on the sidelines of the summit, was highlighted in a video posted to the Armenian leader’s official Facebook page. While details of the conversation were not disclosed, the meeting marked another step in ongoing efforts toward dialogue following years of conflict over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Pashinyan also held a series of bilateral meetings with several European leaders, further emphasizing Armenia’s growing diplomatic engagement within the European framework.
Pashinyan met with Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.
According to a statement by the Armenian PM on social media, the two discussed “issues pertaining to the further development of Armenia-EU cooperation,” reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to its European path.
In a conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Pashinyan extended his congratulations on Merz’s recent assumption of office and wished him success.
The two leaders discussed the advancement of Armenia-Germany cooperation and touched upon the ongoing efforts toward a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Regional developments and Armenia-EU ties were also on the agenda during a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, while Pashinyan and Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker explored ways to deepen Armenia-Austria relations.
With Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, discussions focused on the continued strengthening of Armenia’s cooperation with the European Union. The Prime Minister also exchanged views with OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlio?lu on regional processes.
Brief but significant conversations were also held with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, and Andorran Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora, among other high-ranking officials.
The European Political Community Summit, now in its sixth session, is designed to encourage collaboration among European nations on pressing continental challenges.
