A high profile appeal in Yerevan challenged old security assumptions and hinted at a new regional coalition seeking closer ties with Europe and reform.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged the South Caucasus to step out of the logic of imperial spheres of influence and build a future closely linked with Europe.

He voiced this idea during the opening of the International Yerevan Dialogue Forum in the Armenian capital.

I know that many have long believed that Armenia’s fate could be only under the so-called protective wing of Russia. The war and all that you have endured… all the tragedies you have gone through have shown that this wing was not as protective as many thought

– Emmanuel Macron

Regional prospects and a new coalition

According to him, after the 2020 war Armenia has moved from deep uncertainty to political transformation, choosing a democratic, peaceful, and European course. This should mark the start of broader regional change.

The French president believes that the South Caucasus should not remain a space that empires view as a sphere of influence. The region could become a “central corridor” between Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

For this to happen, he says, there is a need for full opening of the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan, between Armenia and Turkey, and for the absence of any restrictions in relations with Georgia.

Macron linked the future of Armenia and the South Caucasus to a broader European project and called for the formation of a new coalition of independent states that respect the principles of the international order, the rule of law, free and fair trade, as well as the development of science and the defense of democracies – from universities to freedom of the press.

What we have to offer ourselves and the world is a new alliance, a coalition of independent states that believe in the international order, respect for the rules, the rule of law in our countries, free and fair trade, the power of science, and the necessity to defend our democracies – from universities to a free press

– Emmanuel Macron

All of this signals the region’s attempt to build closer ties with Europe and jointly respond to the challenges of security, energy, and disinformation, shaping a new approach to regional cooperation and stability.