Canada to Attend European Political Community Summit for First Time, PM Carney Seeks New Allies
Patrick Wintour
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia, marking Canada as the first non-European country to participate, as Ottawa seeks to forge new trade and diplomatic alliances after a rift with the United States. The summit is set to address topics including U.S. troop withdrawals from Germany and the economic impact of the U.S.-Iran conflict, while also highlighting Armenia's efforts to pivot toward Europe.
Canada will become the first non-European country to attend a European Political Community (EPC) summit, with Prime Minister Mark Carney taking part in Monday's gathering of over 48 nations in Yerevan, Armenia.
Carney has voiced his determination to build a new network of trade and diplomatic alliances after losing the U.S. market under President Donald Trump. His presence also signals Western support for Armenia as it seeks to move away from Russia, at a time when Washington's approach to Moscow's adversaries like Ukraine remains unclear. Canadian diplomats have dismissed suggestions that Ottawa might seek EU membership.
Trump's plan to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from Germany in the coming year and the economic impact of the prolonged U.S.-Iran conflict on Western economies will be key discussion topics in Yerevan. Armenia shares a border with Iran, but unlike neighbor Azerbaijan, it has not accused Iranian missiles of falling on its territory.
Yerevan was chosen to host the EPC, an initiative launched by French President Emmanuel Macron that also includes the United Kingdom, to showcase Armenia's deepening ties with Europe as it continues to reduce its reliance on Russia, its former ally. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is pursuing a policy of diversification, gradually drawing Armenia closer to Europe. His Civil Contract party faces a parliamentary election in June and wants a strong victory to continue peace efforts with Azerbaijan. He is up against three opposition parties that are more sympathetic to Russia.
Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe specializing in the Caucasus, assessed: “European leaders will have to walk a tightrope in Yerevan. As they hold a pre-election rally for Pashinyan, they also need to have a larger conversation about building a stronger, less polarized Armenia.”
“This country deserves Europe’s full attention. It is on the verge of a painful but transformative peace deal with Baku, leading to the reopening of two long borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey that have been closed since the 1990s. It also has a historic opportunity to reduce its over-dependence on Moscow as the war in Ukraine continues to distract and drain Russian resources.”
A day after hosting the EPC, Yerevan hopes the first bilateral summit between Armenia and the EU on Tuesday will bring additional grants to boost democracy and visa liberalization. When EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos visited the country in March, she declared that “Armenia and the EU have never been this close.”
The nation of 3 million signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with the European Union in 2017. Last year, it passed a law formally declaring its intention to apply for EU membership, steering the country in a political direction very different from its neighbor Georgia.
Armenia is a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), although it froze its CSTO membership in 2024.
President Vladimir Putin warned Armenia in April that it cannot be a member of both the EU and the CSTO. “That is simply impossible by definition,” the Russian leader told Pashinyan.
Macron is the strongest advocate for closer Europe-Armenia ties, and his attendance is being regarded as equivalent to a state visit. He is also expected to attend a concert in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city.
The EPC was established in 2022, bringing together full EU members and a large group of countries outside the Brussels bloc, including the UK, Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Serbia, and other Baltic states. The group has no formal secretariat and typically avoids lengthy communiqués, prioritizing bilateral discussions among leaders.
The EPC faced skepticism at its founding, with some fearing it would be a sop for countries that have waited years for their EU membership applications to advance. But the willingness of European leaders to attend summits shows these gatherings remain useful.
With Trump's support, Armenia and Azerbaijan initialed a peace deal in Washington last August. Azerbaijan has said it will sign a full peace agreement after Armenia amends its constitution, claiming it contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan, a charge the Armenian government has repeatedly denied.
