European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is preparing for an official visit to Armenia next week. According to Operative Information Center-OMM, citing Politico, she will be accompanied by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos during the trip.
While initial plans suggested a date of July 1, a final decision regarding the schedule has yet to be confirmed.
European Union officials view this visit as a continuation of the political and economic support provided to Yerevan. Sources indicate that the visit serves as a strong signal of support, complementing concrete measures already implemented by Brussels.
This will mark Ursula von der Leyen's second visit to Armenia as head of the European Commission. Her previous visit occurred in May of this year, during which she participated in the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, an event that also saw the inaugural "EU-Armenia" forum.
It should be noted that official Brussels has announced a 34 million euro support package for Armenia to assist exporters facing challenges. This move is directly linked to restrictions imposed by Russia on Armenian agricultural products:
- Since May, Russia's "Rosselkhoznadzor" has been implementing phased bans on products arriving from Armenia.
- The restrictions have impacted fish processing enterprises, flowers, vegetables, and berries.
- As of June 2, imports of almost all plant-based products—with the exception of fruit, grapes, and canned goods—have been halted.
Although the Russian side justifies these decisions by citing violations of phytosanitary safety regulations, these bans are widely viewed as a significant tool of economic pressure on Yerevan, particularly given that Russia accounts for over 90% of Armenia's agricultural export market.
The European Union has increasingly sought to deepen its engagement with the South Caucasus region, aiming to diversify economic partnerships and enhance regional stability through various cooperation frameworks.
