Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan officially opened the 8th Summit of the European Political Community in Yerevan, describing the gathering as “historic for Armenia” and emphasizing the role of the EPC format in advancing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“Welcome to Armenia and thank you for your kind presence. It is a big honor for us to host this 8th Summit of the European Political Community,” Pashinyan said in his opening remarks. “EPC format is very, very important. It played a crucial role in establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
The Armenian prime minister recalled that during the first EPC Summit in Prague in 2022, a quadrilateral meeting was organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Charles Michel with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty based on the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991,” Pashinyan said, adding that the understanding “created a realistic possibility to reach a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
According to Pashinyan, the process later led to the Washington Peace Summit last August, where, “with the support and participation of U.S. President Donald Trump, President of Azerbaijan and I adopted peace declaration.”
“The U.S. President also signed it as a witness,” he said, adding that the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan initiated the agreement on the establishment of peace and interstate relations between the two countries.
Pashinyan also referred to the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” saying the project “will contribute to peace by unblocking regional routes and creating new international routes from east to west, from south to north, tremendously contributing to international supply chain stability.”
“Dear friends, now we have peace with Azerbaijan,” Pashinyan stated. “It is already two years that we have had no casualties as a result of shootings with Azerbaijan. And these are unprecedented years since our independence.”
He added that Armenia and Azerbaijan are now “working closely to strengthen and institutionalize the peace” between the two countries.
Pashinyan noted that this was the first time the Azerbaijani president was participating in an event taking place in Armenia, “although online,” and expressed hope that he would have the opportunity to visit Azerbaijan in 2028 for the EPC10 Summit.
The Armenian prime minister also highlighted contacts with Türkiye within the EPC framework, saying his “first bilateral meeting with the President of Türkiyetook place on the margins” of the first EPC summit in Prague.
“And now, the Vice President of Türkiye is here to participate in Yerevan’s EPC summit and is the first Vice President of Türkiye to come to Armenia,” he said.
Pashinyan said several leaders were visiting Armenia for the first time, including the presidents of North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Parliament, as well as the prime ministers of the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Ireland, Andorra, Finland, Estonia, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, Kosovo and Liechtenstein.
“This is another reason to consider this summit historic for Armenia,” he said.
Addressing broader international developments, Pashinyan said the summit was also important “for international context as well, especially now that the world faces growing multiple challenges from Ukraine to the Middle East.”
“I dare to hope that as a result of our discussions and decisions, this summit could be for becoming historic for international peace and stability as well,” he said.
Pashinyan concluded his remarks by officially declaring the summit open.
“I now declare the 8th Summit of the European Political Community open and wish us productive, substantive and forward-looking discussions.”