Just days before Armenia’s decisive elections on Sunday, the European Commission declared it was “standing firmly” in its backing of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, stating it was preparing a support package of measures to alleviate mounting Russian economic sanctions against Yerevan due to its pro-Western, pro-EU turn.
“By extending export restrictions on Armenian products, Moscow is weaponising economic relations for political pressure,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on Thursday.
“We know this playbook all too well. This is why Europe stands firmly with Armenia," von der Leyen added.
Von der Leyen said the EU’s support package includes financial assistance of over €50 million with more to come, and practical measures to support Armenian agri-food trade impacted by Russia’s mounting restrictions.
The Commission president said that “a shipment of 10,000 flowers is planned to arrive in Latvia” on Friday and that other measures will keep connecting businesses between the two sides, which, under the EU-Armenia Resilience and Growth Plan agreed in 2024, has already helped 7,000 businesses and contributed to the creation of more than 20,000 jobs.
