Armenia

An adjustment simplifies customs procedures without yet establishing a fully open land border

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces mounting Russian pressure as Yerevan moves closer to the EU amid fears of political interference and regional destabilisation

When the request reached the Turkish president, following consultations with Azerbaijan, it was categorically rejected

The summit occured as Armenia continues to diversify its international partnerships following tensions with Russia and a clear pivot toward the West

The Canadian PM said in Yerevan that the international order “will be rebuilt, but it will be rebuilt out of Europe”

Relations between Kyiv and Tbilisi have remained strained in recent years, largely due to the stance of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Russia’s war against Ukraine

For a country long anchored in Russia’s orbit, hosting the European Political Community (EPC) forum in the South Caucasus is more than symbolic

The parliamentary freeze is largely symbolic, but symbols can harden into policy if criticisms escalate or if Baku perceives continued hostility

This will be the first time a non-European leader participates in the summit and the first official visit to Armenia by a Canadian prime minister in nearly a decade

The Prime Minister of Armenia used the talks with Putin as part of his election campaign, demonstrating to voters that he could “humiliate” him right in the heart of the Kremlin

Brussels steps up support for democratic resilience as warnings grow over potential foreign interference in the Eastern neighbourhood

As Armenia approaches its June parliamentary elections, internal and external developments will test the sustainability of the country's European ambition