A scene once unthinkable for Armenia unfolded in Yerevan: European leaders, the prime minister of Canada, NATO's secretary general, and Ukraine's president gathered in a country long considered Russia's closest ally in the South Caucasus.
For Yerevan, hosting the European Political Community summit marked a turning point. French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Armenia's shift, saying, "Eight years ago, this country was seen as a de facto satellite of Russia."
Armenia's relationship with Russia has soured since Azerbaijan reclaimed the Karabakh region in 2023. In 2024, Armenia suspended its membership in the Russia-led CSTO, and by 2025, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared an intention to join the European Union.
Moscow issued a warning. President Vladimir Putin told Pashinyan that membership in both the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union is "impossible." Pashinyan's decision was clear a month later.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first visit to Armenia since taking office in 2019-the first Ukrainian head of state to visit in 24 years. He and Pashinyan discussed security, economic cooperation, and peace efforts.
Russian state media reacted with fury. RT's Margarita Simonyan called the visit a "gut punch" and hinted at military intervention. Moscow has remained officially silent.