“Lithuania welcomes the established EU-Armenia working group, the new package of EU financial support and trade measures and the broader partnership structure established by the European Commission. Lithuania is committed to actively contribute to their implementation,” K. Budrys announced on the social network “X” on Thursday.
He emphasized Lithuania’s support to Armenia in order to defend its right to sovereign decisions and free and fair elections without foreign interference.
“Russia’s use of economic coercion in order to put pressure on Armenia in the context of these national elections is reprehensible and must be dealt with decisively,” said the head of Lithuanian diplomacy.
He spoke this way after the head of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen (Urzula von der Lajen) informed the Prime Minister of Armenia on Thursday about the increased financial assistance of the bloc and the import of flowers to his country.
As BNS wrote, Armenian voters will vote in parliamentary elections on Sunday, which are considered a test of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on Moscow and establish closer ties with the West.
Ahead of the vote, Russia has increased pressure on Yerevan, imposing import restrictions on key sectors and calling for a referendum on the country’s ambitions to join the EU.
According to U. von der Leyen, the Community has facilitated trade with Armenia in areas targeted by Moscow.
Armenia is formally an ally of Moscow but has been strengthening ties with the EU amid growing frustration over Russia’s failure to defend it during conflicts with neighboring Azerbaijan.
Yerevan froze security ties with Moscow in 2024 and last year passed a law announcing its intention to seek EU membership, further angering Russia.
