On October 23, Alen Simonyan, the speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, hosted a delegation led by Michael Roth, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the German Bundestag.

Both sides emphasized the ongoing development of strong bilateral relations and the deepening of interparliamentary cooperation between Armenia and Germany.

During the meeting, they discussed the process of de-Armenianization in Nagorno-Karabakh and the issues arising from Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing policy. Roth acknowledged that not enough action was taken to prevent Azerbaijani military aggression against the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh.

They also talked about the possibility of imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan. Armenian Parliament Speaker reiterated that Armenia embraced a peace-focused agenda and has put forward a roadmap for regional peace.

The chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the German Bundestag also met with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan. Various topics were discussed. These included regional developments, the displacement of over 100,000 residents from Nagorno-Karabakh, and the resulting humanitarian crisis. The discussions also encompassed the ongoing efforts to normalize Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, regional peace and stability, and the activities of the European Civilian Monitoring Mission in Armenia.

During a press briefing in Yerevan, Michael Roth noted that Armenia’s society appears to be striving for reduced dependence on Russia. Roth mentioned that many segments of Armenian society desire a prosperous Europe and do not aspire to live in a more authoritarian system like Russia. He also expressed his commitment to EU-Armenia rapprochement and acknowledged that this path is challenging but worthwhile.

According to Michael Roth, one of the consequences of the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is that Azerbaijan has lost the international community's trust and is no longer considered a reliable partner. He made this statement in response to a question about the lack of consequences for the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Regarding potential sanctions against Azerbaijan, Michael Roth mentioned that the sanctions are not currently on the table, but he will work to ensure that they are considered. He emphasized the need to prevent the intensification of the EU's energy cooperation with Azerbaijan.

“Authoritarian states only understand one language, that’s why it is necessary to emphasize what consequences their possible military actions could have if such developments take place,” he added. 

Roth further announced that the German Foreign Minister is planning to visit Armenia.