EU urges final Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement as negotiations stall

European Council President Charles Michel is intensifying efforts to achieve lasting peace in the South Caucasus amid escalating tensions in the region.

Two senior diplomats confirmed that the former Belgian Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan during the European Political Community summit in the United Kingdom earlier this month, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

Michel has also reached out to both parties, urging them to return to negotiations and "finalize the peace agreement" by addressing unresolved issues such as border delimitation.

Despite these efforts, frustration is mounting in Brussels due to months of delays and diplomatic deadlock, which have prevented a long-awaited truce from materializing. Although Michel has met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the leaders have yet to find an opportunity to meet directly, with each side blaming the other for the impasse.

"Ultimately, it’s up to both sides to stop stalling and finalize the deal. Michel has exerted every effort within the EU’s power to achieve a peace agreement," said a senior EU diplomat close to Michel.

Azerbaijan, which has fought at least two wars with Armenia since 2020, has also criticized the military support provided by EU countries like France to Yerevan, arguing that such support disrupts the balance of power between the long-standing rivals.