The eighth summit of the European Political Community (EPC) was held in Yerevan on May 4. The structure, created in 2022 on the initiative of Paris, aims to unite EU countries and their partners. Over 40 leaders and senior representatives from European countries, EU structures, and Canada participated. The visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attracted the most attention. Although Zelensky visited Azerbaijan a week prior, Armenia presents a unique situation due to its close economic ties with Moscow and the presence of the 102nd Russian military base. Despite this, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is openly pursuing a pro-European course, as demonstrated by the first Armenia-EU summit held on May 4-5. Pashinyan has indicated that Armenia will remain in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) only until its integration with the EU is finalized. This analysis, by expert on the post-Soviet space Roman Chernikov, delves into the significance of the summits held in Yerevan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the EPC summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on May 4, 2026. Photo: EPA. Armenian Welcome Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Yerevan on the afternoon of May 3, the day before the summit. He was met at the plane by the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan, considered the most vocal critic of Moscow within the Armenian leadership. Simonyan had previously clashed with Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova, who accused him of 'rudeness' for his criticism of Russia's Karabakh obligations. Simonyan retorted by calling Zakharova 'some kind of secretary.' Despite this, Simonyan visited Moscow on February 5, referring to Russia as a 'friendly allied state' during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Zelensky's visit to Armenia, while generating considerable interest, was specifically for the EPC summit, not a bilateral breakthrough like French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit. Zelensky had previously attended EPC summits in Chisinau, Tirana, Granada, and Woodstock. The most notable sign of Yerevan's solidarity with Ukraine was the visit of Anna Hakobyan, wife of Nikol Pashinyan, to Kyiv in September 2023, where she met with other First Ladies and delivered humanitarian aid. Zelensky outlined his summit agenda: accelerating the end of the war, securing a 90 billion euro EU support package for Ukraine, and energy cooperation. He spent his first evening in Yerevan meeting with leaders from the Czech Republic, Norway, Finland, and the UK. He only shook hands with Pashinyan at a formal dinner. During his EPC summit speech on May 4, Zelensky wished Armenia and Azerbaijan lasting peace before focusing on other issues, including the US-Israel conflict with Iran, warning of potential shared threats to Ukraine and Europe due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and emphasizing the need for energy and security cooperation. He noted that Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure had a cumulative effect, making recovery difficult. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine. Probing Boundaries Regarding the war in Ukraine, Zelensky expressed confidence that Vladimir Putin would decide this summer whether to escalate or pursue diplomacy, citing the reduced scale of Moscow's May 9 parade as a sign of Putin's weakened position. Pashinyan subsequently announced a ceasefire in Ukraine starting May 6, dependent on Moscow's actions, mirroring Zelensky's pledge for a reciprocal response to Russia's proposed May 8-9 truce. Zelensky emphasized that 'human life is incomparably more valuable than celebrating any anniversary' and called for Russia to take 'real steps to end their war.' His statements were made in the presence of Pashinyan, who had attended Victory Day celebrations in Moscow post-invasion. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, facing pro-Russian accusations and planning a trip to Moscow, might have felt uncomfortable. Zelensky's remarks about Europe needing a unified voice in negotiations with Russia could also have displeased US President Donald Trump. Zelensky met with Fico to discuss bilateral issues and with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, seeking help in improving relations with Budapest. Zelensky is reportedly trying to foster relationships with European leaders perceived as 'friends of Putin.' Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine. Zelensky's meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili also drew attention, given the recent cooling of relations between the two countries, which were once seen as EU candidates. Ukraine had even imposed sanctions on Georgian officials following the 2024 parliamentary elections. Both leaders spoke positively about their meeting, with Zelensky emphasizing the importance of dialogue and respect for Georgia's sovereignty. Zelensky also had a brief meeting with Pashinyan to discuss regional security challenges, proposing the revival of an intergovernmental commission. Armenia-Ukraine trade currently stands at a modest $100 million. Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Yerevan Institute of Caucasus, suggested Zelensky's visit was crucial for strengthening ties with Europeans due to Kyiv's strained relationship with the US, and that it could boost Pashinyan's domestic political standing ahead of the June 7 elections. Pro-Russian circles in Yerevan criticized Kyiv's past support for Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict, while Russian 'Z-communities' expressed disappointment over the Kremlin's inaction. Moscow is reportedly displeased with Yerevan's rapprochement with the EU, evidenced by recent Russian trade restrictions on Armenian products. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Those Who Didn't Come Notably absent were Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who had attended previous EPC summits. Aliyev addressed the summit via video link, stating that Azerbaijan proposed hosting a future summit, which was accepted, and that Armenia supported their bid, signaling peace between the two nations. European Council President Charles Michel lauded the summit as historic and a 'summit of peace in the Caucasus.' Aliyev, however, criticized the European Parliament for its resolutions on Azerbaijan, announcing Baku's decision to cease cooperation with the EP. Azerbaijani political analyst Farhad Mamedov noted that Aliyev's physical presence was impossible due to the lack of diplomatic relations, but praised the EPC format for facilitating open dialogue and potentially replacing the ineffective OSCE. He believes the EPC is in its early stages and could evolve into a formal organization. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz attended, and Pashinyan and Yılmaz signed an agreement to restore the medieval Ani bridge, though work is yet to commence.
