France positions itself at the heart of Armenia’s pivot to Europe

The visit of President Emmanuel Macron, timed alongside the first EU‑Armenia summit, underscored France's ambition to anchor itself in the small, landlocked country that is tentatively turning away from Russia and towards Europe.

At the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed a “new level of cooperation” with Yerevan, while Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke openly of a desire to one day join the EU.

Armenia was once a Soviet republic, which was completely dependent on Russia for security and influence in the South Caucasus – notably through its role in the Nagorno‑Karabakh conflict and the deployment of Russian “peacekeepers” after the 2020 war.

When Azerbaijan retook the region in a swift 2023 offensive, those Russian forces failed to intervene, shattering illusions of Moscow as a reliable protector and fuelling public disillusionment. Vehicles carrying refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, a region inhabited by ethnic Armenians, queue on the road to the Armenian border, 25 September, 2023.

Russia's full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 further eroded its credibility and forced Armenia to reassess its dependence, prompting a gradual but increasingly clear pivot towards Europe, the United States and other partners.

In 2024, Armenia formally froze its membership of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a post-USSR military cooperation grouping of former Soviet states, led by Moscow.

Without directly appealing to become an EU or NATO member, Yerevan began to increase its ties with the EU.

'Calling lies in Europe'

During Macron's parallel state visit this week, he told an audience in Yerevan that Armenia's "calling lies in Europe" – positioning France as a natural partner for both Armenia and the wider South Caucasus.

France is already home to Europe's largest Armenian community, estimated at around 400,000 people, giving it a unique reservoir of cultural and political leverage.

During Macron's visit, during which he met with President Vahagn Khatchatourian as well as Pashinyan, he also engaged with the Armenian‑French diaspora, reinforcing his image as a bridge‑builder.

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That bridge was on full display at a state dinner in Yerevan, when Macron sang French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour's 1965 classic, “La Bohème".

The French president sat at the piano, microphone in hand, with Khatchatourian by his side and Pashinyan joining in on drums.

Aznavour, born in Paris to Armenian immigrants, has long served as a cultural conduit between the two countries.

His music still resonates deeply in Armenia, and the impromptu performance allowed Macron to tap into a shared emotional vocabulary beyond formal diplomacy.

After Macron's turn, Khatchatourian took to the piano to play “Les Feuilles Mortes” ("Autumn Leaves"), another French classic, further underlining the evening's theme of “music in the spirit of friendship". Poster of Charles Aznavour in the Armenian city of DIlijan, 16 September 2023.

Regional hub

Away from the stage, France is positioning itself as a key player in Armenia's emerging role as a regional hub for trade, energy and digital connectivity.

The EU‑Armenia connectivity partnership signed during the summit, which aims to strengthen transport and energy links, interlocks French and European interest in routes between Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and Europe – notably the Trans-Caspian route.

This transport corridor from Kazakhstan to Europe, by way of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, until now circumvented Armenia as a result of regional hostilities. 

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French companies and investors are also closely watching regulatory reforms that Armenia is currently undertaking, as well as the easing of tensions with Azerbaijan.

And while Brussels calling for European firms to “invest in the country", with Yerevan eager to shed its image as a high‑risk destination, French business circles see opportunities in infrastructure, energy and digital services. Representatives of the French employer association MEDEF visited Yerevan with a heavy delegation last March. 

(with newswires)