YEREVAN — “I have come to Armenia once again to reaffirm France’s support — a support that the President of the Republic has wished to be unwavering, stable, and comprehensive,” said France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, during his visit to Yerevan.
He emphasized that Paris first and foremost supports the peace agreement with Baku.
“I also want to commend Prime Minister Pashinyan’s courage. As my colleague Marco Rubio said, the time has come to sign and ratify it. That is what France, the United States, and Europe are expecting — support for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the French official stated.
He also highlighted the importance of defense cooperation, whether through training or the provision of military equipment.
“All of this is aimed at enabling Armenia to ensure its own defense and sovereignty,” Barrot added.
The minister announced that France is preparing to open a consular agency in Goris.
When asked whether France and Armenia are ready to elevate their relations to the level of a strategic partnership — and how he assesses Russia’s role in the region, given the complex relationship described by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov during his visit to Yerevan — Barrot responded by saying that “the relationship between our two countries and peoples is already largely strategic.”
Regarding Lavrov’s statements, the French minister commented only briefly:
“What we’ve seen in Ukraine in recent days — namely, one of the most brutal attacks since the beginning of Russian operations — sends a clear message: we want peace. And for peace to be real, there must first be a ceasefire, which will create the conditions for proper negotiations.”
He added that France and Europe are not at war with Russia or the Russian people, but are firmly opposing “Putinism — the redrawing of borders in Europe through the use of force.”
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan agreed with Barrot’s statements on Armenia-France cooperation:
“As has already been stated, we are working in a direction where our deepening cooperation will also be reflected in a formal document, bearing the appropriate terminology and definitions.”
