European officials in Yerevan discuss South Caucasus potential

ArmInfo.The South Caucasus is an important link between Europe and Central Asia. This became possible thanks to the unprecedented momentum that emerged after the Washington summit in August 2025, which opens up new strategic opportunities for the region, as stated by Magdalena Grono, EU  Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia, during the Yerevan Dialogue 2026 Forum  on May 5.

According to her, it also opens up new opportunities for closer  cooperation with the Middle East. Grono believes that the South  Caucasus is important today as an island of stability amid two major  theaters of military operations. "The Middle Corridor project is  currently being widely discussed. According to our calculations,  traffic volumes along the Central Corridor have quadrupled since  2022, and we hope that they can triple again by 2030. These are the  kinds of investments we are discussing with our partners in the South  Caucasus," the EU Special Representative said.

At the same time, she expressed confidence that connectivity should  be inclusive and not isolate any of the partners in the region. She  added that, based on this, the EU is discussing transport  infrastructure development projects with its colleagues in Yerevan  and Baku.

"The peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan was truly an  incredibly powerful process, in which external players may have  provided important assistance, but ultimately, I believe, the  decisive responsibility was the responsibility of the two capitals.  And in this regard, we truly would like to be simply partners in the  sense that the agenda is clearly defined by regional players, and we  support this where it is useful and necessary," she added. 

Stefano Piedimonte Bodini, Director of the Private Office of the  Secretary General of the Council of Europe, stated that Europe needs  military security, energy security, and economic security, and this  particularly applies to the South Caucasus, in conjunction with  democratic security, robust institutions, and the rule of law.

According to him, this is precisely the work Armenia and the Council  of Europe have been working together for 25 years. "The Council of  Europe's support for Armenia is long-term; it is a long-term  commitment. It is about helping institutions that counter the hybrid  pressures that Armenia also faces  from cybercrime to malicious  information manipulation and foreign interference.

Europe must say 'no' to manipulation in elections and the media,  especially on social media, while protecting freedom of speech,  independent media, human rights, and the rule of law," he emphasized.  He added that powerful armies without strong democratic institutions  and robust democratic oversight are dangerous.