European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, during a visit to Yerevan on 2 July 2026, announced a new €200 million Global Gateway package for peace through connectivity in the South Caucasus, alongside a €20 million peace-fostering programme for border communities. She also unveiled a proposal for Autonomous Trade Measures that would liberalise nearly 80% of Armenian exports to the EU, and confirmed an additional €18 million in trade diversification support for Armenia.
Von der Leyen, speaking alongside Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, congratulated him on his recent electoral victory, stating that the elections demonstrated the strength of Armenia's democracy and its continued path toward closer partnership with Europe. She highlighted the initialling of the peace agreement last year as a history-making moment and praised the normalisation of relations with Türkiye, noting that opening borders would transform Armenia's economic future.
The €200 million Global Gateway package, which aims to mobilise up to €2 billion with financial partners, targets strategic transport, energy, and digital projects across the South Caucasus. In Armenia, it could support projects under preparation, including border crossing points and road infrastructure. The separate €20 million peace-fostering programme is designed to support local economies, small businesses, farming, and water management in border communities, while creating opportunities for dialogue.
Turning to economic pressures from Russia, which she described as economic coercion, von der Leyen announced an additional €18 million to help strengthen and diversify Armenia's trade, completing a €52 million support package discussed in a phone call in early June. The Autonomous Trade Measures proposal would make almost 80% of Armenian exports to the EU tariff-free, covering nearly 99% of fresh fruits, vegetables, and plants previously exported to Russia, and over 90% of beverage and spirit exports. Von der Leyen noted that Armenian flowers have increasingly entered the EU market, calling it a symbol of a new chapter in economic partnership. She added that EU experts would be deployed to Armenia in mid-July to help producers and exporters seize opportunities from the privileged partnership.
Von der Leyen concluded by reaffirming EU support for Armenia's democratic choices and aspirations for reform, peace, and closer ties with Europe.