The European Union has announced €1.5 million in funding to strengthen Armenia’s independent media. The announcement was made during Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Brussels on 14 July where he met with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa.
According to the EU statement, the funding aims to strengthen Armenia’s information security amid the growing risks from “hybrid threats, foreign interference and destabilization efforts.”
The sides also discussed cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, with the EU pledging €2.5 billion in investment in Armenia’s transport and communications sector.
During the meeting, von der Leyen and Costa reiterated support for Armenia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and democratic reforms, and highlighted the importance of visa liberation for the South Caucasus republic that has been shifting towards the EU. The EU leaders also expressed readiness to involve Armenia in EU regional and economic initiatives, as well as the Black Sea Strategy. Furthermore, von der Leyen and Costa welcomed Armenia’s political rapprochement with the neighbouring Turkey and Yerevan’s efforts to engage in peace negotiations with Azerbaijan. The EU leaders thanked Armenia for helping to prevent circumvention of sanctions imposed by the West against Russia over the war with Ukraine.
