On May 26, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met in Yerevan with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to discuss deepening strategic cooperation and regional peace.

Meeting with Ararat Mirzoyan
On May 26, Mirzoyan and Barrot signed a Declaration of Intent in Yerevan to deepen bilateral cooperation and political consultations on European and global platforms.
During the joint press conference in Yerevan, Mirzoyan emphasized the broad scope of cooperation between Armenia and France, noting that relations are effectively strategic and that both sides plan to formalize this with a strategic cooperation document. Barrot confirmed that relations are already largely strategic and said the document would outline future steps, including military cooperation.
Barrot, on his first official visit to Armenia, expressed France’s firm support for the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, praising Prime Minister Pashinyan’s courage and urging the signing and ratification of the agreement. He underscored respect for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and highlighted military cooperation and arms supplies as vital to Armenia’s independence.
The French minister announced plans to open a consular section in Goris and welcomed the decision to hold the 8th summit of the European Political Community in Armenia next spring, crediting the success of negotiations between Yerevan and Baku.
Mirzoyan confirmed Armenia’s readiness for further meetings with Azerbaijan despite new demands, stressing that changes to the Armenian Constitution are unacceptable and that a peace treaty would clarify concerns through the Constitutional Court’s review.
Barrot also spoke about the situation in Ukraine, calling for a ceasefire and negotiations to achieve a just peace while criticizing Russian aggression. He stated that Europe, including France, supports Ukraine’s military efforts to counter aggression and maintains sanctions against Russia, clarifying that Europe’s position opposes "Putinization" rather than Russia or its people.
Barrot recalled the historical ties between France and Armenia, including commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and honoring French Admiral Dartige du Fournet’s role in saving Armenian defenders during Musa Dagh.
He highlighted ongoing French contributions to Armenia’s development, including water sector projects supported by a 100-million-euro loan from the French Development Agency and French participation in biometric passport preparation. Barrot stressed the importance of decentralized cooperation, inter-parliamentary relations, and Diaspora engagement.

Meeting with Nikol Pashinyan
On the same day, Pashinyan received a delegation led by Jean-Noël Barrot. The Prime Minister warmly welcomed the visit and highlighted the strong, high-level relations between Armenia and France. He noted the ongoing deepening and strengthening of bilateral cooperation across various fields, which was also reflected in his recent meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Tirana.
Jean-Noël Barrot expressed France’s steadfast support for Armenia’s development and capacity-building efforts, affirming his country’s readiness to further expand political and economic ties. The French minister congratulated Armenia on hosting the European Political Community Summit next year.
The two leaders discussed infrastructure development, investment attraction, and new joint projects. They also exchanged views on regional matters, particularly recent progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process. Prime Minister Pashinyan reaffirmed the Armenian government’s firm commitment to advancing the peace agenda.