European Council President António Costa told leaders in Yerevan that the European Political Community (EPC) was meeting in the South Caucasus for the first time, with Armenia “in the heart of Europe”, according to his opening remarks.
Costa thanked Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for hosting the summit in the Armenian capital and noted that Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev was taking part by videoconference, the European Council reported on Monday.
He said the meeting had been made possible by an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and referred to improved relations between Turkey and Armenia in his address.
Costa declared it was vital to strengthen Armenian democracy and tackle external interference and disinformation, adding that “the future of Armenian democracy lies in the hands of Armenian citizens only.”
Canada invited as first non-European guest
He also said Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, had been invited as the first non-European guest to take part in an EPC summit.
Costa cited the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, saying Europe needed a “360º degree vision” for its security — meaning an approach that considers threats from all directions.
He said discussions at this year’s meeting would cover energy, connectivity and “democratic resilience”, and described the EPC as a “catalyst for action” including support for Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia.
Costa also referred to plans for a “European Coalition against Drugs”, thanking French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for advancing the initiative.
He ended by again thanking Pashinyan and said the first EU–Armenia Summit would be held in Yerevan the following day.
