Lithuania moves to deepen strategic ties with Armenia as EU alignment grows

Lithuania is preparing to conclude a strategic partnership agreement with Armenia, expanding its presence in the South Caucasus region as Yerevan continues to draw closer to the European Union.

A corresponding declaration registered last week reflects both sides’ intention to deepen political and sectoral cooperation, according to Lithuanian media.

Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the document is intended to facilitate Armenia’s rapprochement with the European Union and reaffirm Vilnius’ involvement in key developments in the South Caucasus.

The ministry made it clear that the signing carries political significance ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections scheduled for June.

The vote will take place at a particularly sensitive moment for the South Caucasus country, which is seeking to reorient its foreign policy away from its long-time ally Moscow toward the West.

In a report published this year, Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service pointed to large-scale “malicious information operations by external actors,” including the spread of false information and conspiracy theories aimed at influencing elections.

Analysts express little doubt about the origin of these campaigns and accuse Moscow of attempting to hinder Armenia’s efforts to strengthen ties with the West.

The agreement envisages expanded cooperation in the areas of reforms, cybersecurity, and countering hybrid threats, including combating disinformation.

It also foresees the development of economic ties, particularly in high-tech sectors, and support for joint investment and innovation projects.

In addition, the document proposes strengthening intergovernmental dialogue, including a possible upgrade of the bilateral commission to a coordination level on EU integration matters, as well as measures to facilitate mobility and advance visa liberalisation.

Lithuania also expresses support for regional peace, in particular the peace agreement signed last year by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, brokered by US President Donald Trump.

Lithuanian News Agency BNS reports that bilateral strategic partnerships are most often formalised through the adoption of a political declaration.

“However, a strategic partnership between states is a political category; it does not necessarily have to be enshrined in a political or legal document. Lithuania’s strategic partners are EU and NATO member states. In addition, the EU, on behalf of all its member states, concludes strategic partnership agreements (with Canada, Japan and other countries),” the ministry added in its response.

Armenia signed strategic partnership documents with five countries last year: the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, China, and Germany.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov