While Yerevan is now working to reach a historic peace treaty with Azerbaijan, it is also keen to strengthen ties with Brussels.
However, the process of joining the EU can take decades, as it includes assessments of a country’s compliance with the bloc’s criteria in a wide range of policy areas, such as the functioning of democratic institutions, the judiciary and fundamental rights — and countries could even backtrack during the process.
This is now the case with one of Armenia’s other neighbors, Georgia, which was accepted by the EU as a candidate in 2023, but Brussels halted the accession process as the country began an authoritarian pivot.
The Kremlin’s influence remains strong in Armenia, as it is heavily dependent on Russian energy and trade, and Yerevan even hosts a Russian military base.
