European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is preparing to travel to Armenia next week, Politico quotes three people familiar with the plans as saying.
The EU delegation, which will also include Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, will visit Armenia in a high-profile show of support for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan after his pro-European party secured a decisive victory in the country’s June parliamentary election.
“We have seen the country under intense and consistent pressure from Russia; a visit would send a strong signal of support, following on from the concrete support already delivered,” said one EU official working on the prospective trip, granted anonymity to speak frankly, as were the other people with knowledge of the planned trip.
They added it would send the message that “Europe is here for you.”
Next week’s trip will be von der Leyen’s second to Armenia in less than two months. The Commission president was in Yerevan in May for the European Political Community summit, which Armenia hosted, before taking part in the inaugural EU-Armenia summit.
