“I have come to tell you that you can count on us,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared in Yerevan after arriving from Baku, where she had held talks with Ilham Aliyev. In the Armenian capital, she spoke in glowing terms about the prospects that await Armenia if it reaches what is described as peace with Azerbaijan and, as part of that broader process, moves closer to the European Union. She also announced that the EU is prepared to invest heavily in logistics routes crossing the South Caucasus and to grant Armenian products preferential access to the European market.
After hearing these remarks, one might conclude that the Armenian people ought to carry von der Leyen to the airport on their shoulders in gratitude and personally see her off on her journey home.
There are, however, a few small questions.
For example, is Ms. von der Leyen aware of what became of the €2.7 billion in assistance that Charles Michel announced for Armenia back in the now seemingly distant summer of 2021, when, as President of the European Council, he paid his first visit to the South Caucasus, including Armenia? What percentage of that money has actually reached Armenia, and in what form?
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To date, Armenia has received around €500 million. That is certainly not an insignificant amount, but it represents barely 20 percent of the generously advertised package. Why?
Because Armenia has, apparently, fulfilled only about 20 percent of the conditions for receiving that package. It has met roughly one-fifth of Azerbaijan’s demands, including recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan—a decision that was made under the “honourable witness” of Charles Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron.
That is the same Azerbaijan that von der Leyen, during her latest visit to Baku, once again described as a reliable partner of the European Union.
It is also the Azerbaijan that the EU regards as an equal partner—unlike Armenia. This approach was reaffirmed in the joint statement issued by European Council President António Costa and Ilham Aliyev following Costa’s visit to Baku in March 2026.
So when von der Leyen arrives in Yerevan from Baku and generously offers a new round of promises, assuring Armenians that they can count on the European Union, one simple question arises:
What new conditions did Ilham Aliyev convey to Yerevan through Ursula von der Leyen?
Hakob BADALYAN
