While in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas discussed her ‘upcoming visit’ to Armenia with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan.
Writing on X on Saturday, Kallas noted that she ‘reaffirmed the EU’s strong commitment to deepening ties and exchanged views on the situation in South Caucasus, including efforts towards Armenia–Azerbaijan normalisation, and peace in the region’.
Attached to the post was an image of Kallas speaking to Khachaturyan.
No details have been released regarding exactly when this visit will take place.
The statement came the day after Kallas’ controversial visit to Baku, where she met with President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
During the visit, the EU and Azerbaijan agreed to resume negotiations on a new partnership and cooperation agreement.
Kallas also emphasised in her post-meeting press briefing that Azerbaijan was ‘an important partner in the region’, while thanking Baku for helping the EU in maintaining its energy security.
The visit was highly criticised by a variety of politicians in Armenia and the EU for taking place amidst ‘Azerbaijan’s continued cross-border violence, the illegal detention of Armenian civilians, and open threats against the EU Mission in [Armenia]’, as Cypriot MEP Loucas Fourlas highlighted on X, as well as coming on the heels of the 110th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Xandie (Alexandra) Kuenning
