On May 15, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia arrived in Albania for a working visit to participate in the 6th Summit of the European Political Community.
The visit began with a meeting between Nikol Pashinyan and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, during which Edi Rama welcomed Pashinyan to Tirana and emphasized that, despite the visit taking place within an international summit, the meeting would contribute to advancing Armenia-Albania relations and identifying new avenues of cooperation. Pashinyan thanked his counterpart for the hospitality and expressed confidence that the meeting would energize bilateral ties, particularly in political dialogue. The two leaders discussed current issues in Armenia-Albania relations, prospects for collaboration across various sectors, and exchanged views on regional matters, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process, highlighting the importance of a peace agreement to ensure stability in the region.
Later the same day, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held meetings with António Costa, the President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, within the framework of the summit in Tirana. The discussions centered on strengthening Armenia-European Union relations, emphasizing the need to deepen cooperation in democratic reforms, economic integration, infrastructure modernization, and other sectors. Pashinyan commended the EU’s consistent support for Armenia’s reforms and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to elevating Armenia-EU collaboration to a new and effective stage.
António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen reiterated their support for Armenia’s democratic progress and welcomed Armenia’s constructive steps toward regional peace and stability. They highlighted the importance of the recent adoption of the law launching Armenia’s EU accession process and underscored the significance of accelerating the visa liberalization dialogue. The EU leaders also welcomed the agreement reached on the text of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty, stressing its importance for regional security, and reaffirmed the EU’s readiness to support the peace process. Additionally, both sides discussed Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” project, which was positively received by the EU officials as a key initiative for reopening regional transportation and communication routes. The parties agreed to maintain close dialogue and cooperate on mutual priorities.
This visit aligns with broader regional diplomatic efforts, as noted in a Caucasus Watch article on May 14, where Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, also attending the EPC Summit in Albania, called for a “fair attitude” from European leaders toward Georgia, reflecting shared regional concerns about EU engagement.