Brussels 05.04.2024 The European Union has agreed on a comprehensive plan to divert Armenia from Russia’s centuries long influence and support its economy in the face of growing tensions in South Caucasus.

Talks in the European Commission between the President Ursula von der Leyen, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a wide range of topics.

Addressing press von der Leyen said the EU would allocate €270 million to support businesses, and especially small businesses, and industry in Armenia over the next four years as part of “a new and ambitious partnership agenda.”

The EU president Ursula von der Leyen announced investments to strengthen Armenia’s economy and civil society, ensuring they are “more robust and stable in the face of shocks” she said, pointing to the funds allocated for renewable energy projects, and electricity.

“We will look to expand our partnerships, for example, in mobility, governance, law enforcement, trade, connectivity, agriculture, energy, and technology. The European Union and the United States envisage stronger cooperation with Armenia to support these key sectors” von der Leyen continued.

The move comes as Armenia works to cut ties with Russia – its former centuries long ally, which owns much of its energy network and infrastructure but has failed to prevent escalation of the frozen conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan. Armenia has frozen its membership of the Russian-led the Collective Security Treaty Organization CSTO military alliance, and has invited U.S. troops to train in the soldiers, dispatched aid to Ukraine and indicated its interest to join the EU, following its sanction policy against Russia.

This stand did not pass unappreciated: “the measures that Armenia has taken against the circumvention of our sanctions against Russia … This shows that the European Union and Armenia are increasingly aligned in values and interests” von der Leyen said.

“We welcome Armenia’s efforts in the direction of democracy, fighting corruption and establishing the rule of law,” said the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell.

The U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken said Washington is committed to helping Armenia and Prime minister Pashinyan government to carry out envisioned reforms. The Biden Administration, working with the U.S. Congress, plans to provide over $65 million in fiscal year 2023 development assistance to Armenia.

The European Union and the United States welcomed Armenia’s commitment to improved connectivity with the outside world, including the Crossroads of Peace initiative, which would promote shared prosperity and regional economic and trade diversification.

The EU and the U.S. intend to provide further assistance to help the country mitigate risks, diversify its trade, and strengthen its economic and institutional resilience.

However the critics noticed that all the statements were nebulous, strikingly without any hint of cooperation with Armenia in the field of security, which the country’s major problems – primarily due to the lack of lasting peace with neighboring Azerbaijan. Althoug the results of the meeting also contained some specifics in the form of two figures. The United States will allocate $65 million in assistance to Armenia, and Brussels will pledge €270 million for 2024–2027 “in order to strengthen the new Armenia-EU partnership agenda.”

It is noteworthy that on the eve of the EU-U.S.-Armenia meeting, Antony Blinken and then Ursula von der Leyen called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. But, judging by the comments from Baku regarding the Brussels meeting, these calls didn’t lead to any tangible result.

Meanwhile President Aliyev said on the day of the trilateral meeting in Brussels that processes in the South Caucasus are developing in a very dangerous direction. At a meeting with the former head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and now parliamentarian Mevlut Cavusoglu, Ilham Aliyev commented on the meeting in Brussels.

According to Azerbaijani leader, quoted on the presidential website, this new Brussels-U.S.-Armenia format “creates another source of danger for the South Caucasus.”

“In recent days, high-ranking officials from both the United States and the European Union, during telephone conversations that took place on their initiative, tried to convince us that this meeting was not directed against Azerbaijan. However, we know that this is directed against Azerbaijan and cooperation in the South Caucasus. This pursues the goal of creating dividing lines and isolating our country,” Ilham Aliyev concluded.