France and Armenia on Tuesday strengthened their bilateral relations by signing a comprehensive strategic partnership in the fields of defence, economy and artificial intelligence, in a move that reflects Yerevan’s orientation towards Europe, despite its historical relations with Russia. The signing came amid a standing ovation in the capital, Yerevan, where the audience applauded French President Emmanuel Macron, chanting, “Long live Armenia! Long live France!” The agreement included supplying Armenia with French helicopters, radars, and cannons, and the participation of French companies in major infrastructure projects.
Published on: 05/05/2026 - 22:06
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a strategic partnership that includes several areas from defense to the economy, with the aim of strengthening relations between France and the Caucasus country, which maintains historical ties with Russia.
France, which has the largest Armenian community after Russia and the United States, consisting of 400,000 people, has a long history of friendship and solidarity with this small country that traditionally loves Paris and has a population of three million people.
The French President was received with a standing ovation, from senior government officials to the crowds who applauded him in the streets of the capital, Yerevan, chanting, “Long live Armenia! Long live France!”
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Details of military agreements and cooperation
The two countries signed several cooperation agreements, especially in research and innovation in the fields of defence, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and semiconductors, the Elysee Palace reported. A contract was also signed to provide six H145 helicopters to the Armenian army and equipment for the Armenian special forces trained by Paris.
Defense cooperation between the two countries mainly includes the air component, with Armenia submitting a request for three French radars and France undertaking the training of soldiers from the Armenian forces. Armenia also requested 36 Caesar artillery in 2024.
The French "Vinci" and "Raziel Peak" groups signed a declaration of intent to participate in the completion of the strategic "Barguchat" tunnel on the north-south axis in Armenia. In this regard, Pashinyan said that the project, located on “one of the most difficult parts of this road... is beginning to become a reality.”
Macron: “Armenia’s destiny is European”
Macron praised the choice of Armenia and its Prime Minister to "go to Europe" despite veiled Russian warnings. This trend was consolidated with the holding of the European Political Community summit on Monday in Yerevan with the participation of about forty heads of state and government from all over Europe, and then the first European-Armenian summit on Tuesday.
Macron said in this regard during a forum in Yerevan, "I have a firm conviction that Armenia's destiny is a European destiny."
However, the rapprochement with the European Union clashes with the existing close relations between Yerevan and Moscow, both of which are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a military alliance of which Armenia remains a part despite freezing its participation in 2024.
French support for Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan
France has long supported Armenia in its bloody conflict with Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Armenia, a landlocked country sandwiched between Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia and Turkey with which its borders remain closed, is counting on peace to develop its territory and networks in the fields of energy and trade, and emerge from its isolation.
France 24/AFP
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