Armenian Government and People of Armenia Also Have European Aspirations: Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan

BRUSSELS — The Armenian government has voiced support for Georgia’s, Ukraine’s and Moldova’s membership in the European Union and reaffirmed its desire to deepen ties with the EU.

“My government warmly welcomes the European Commission’s [recent] decision to recommend the European Council to open accession talks with Moldova and Ukraine and to grant candidate status to Georgia,” Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said late on Monday. “This decision is welcomed not only by the government of Armenia but also people of Armenia, who also have European aspirations.”

Yerevan is committed to “coming closer to the European Union to the extent the EU will deem it possible,” Mirzoyan added in a speech delivered during a meeting in Brussels of the foreign ministers of EU member states and five ex-Soviet republics involved in the 27-nation bloc’s Eastern Partnership program.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed that commitment when he addressed the European Parliament in October. He stopped short of announcing plans to seek Armenia’s eventual membership in the EU.

Mirzoyan and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met in North Macedonia late last month as a team of EU officials wrapped up a visit to Yerevan during which they explored ways of bringing Armenia closer to the bloc.

Borrell also met with Mirzoyan in Brussels earlier on Monday. He said they had a “good exchange of views … on concrete ways to enhance EU-Armenia relations” but did not elaborate.