VILNIUS – A democratic, secure and prosperous Armenia is a common interest of Armenia, Lithuania and the European Union as a whole, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said during an official lunch with President Vahagn Khachaturian on Thursday.
"We strongly believe in the mutual benefits of EU-Armenia cooperation and fully support the strengthening of this relationship, as well as Armenia's reform agenda," Simonyte said in a press release. "We stand ready to share our experience and expertise to help facilitate its implementation."
"We recognize that a democratic, secure, and prosperous Armenia is not only in the interest of Armenia, but also in the interest of Lithuania and the entire EU," she added.
The two officials discussed the bilateral cooperation, EU-Armenia relations, Russia's war in Ukraine, the security situation in the South Caucasus, Armenia's economic and political developments, and its reform agenda, according to the press release.
The prime minister "emphasized that the lasting peace and stability in Europe can only be achieved through the victory of Ukraine".
She noted that "an effective implementation of international sanctions, leaving as few loopholes as possible for their circumvention, including through third countries, is crucial".
On Wednesday, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in technology and innovation.
Armenia and neighboring Azerbaijan have been embroiled in a territorial conflict for decades.
Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The simmering conflict has so far claimed around 30,000 lives.
Simonyte "underlined Lithuania's support for a negotiated peaceful, sustainable and comprehensive settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan" and "expressed her expectation that the EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA) will contribute to this", according to the press release.
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