Armenia’s European Aspirations: Bridging EU Standards and Balancing Regional Commitments

The paper describes the benefits Armenia has derived from its evolving relationship with the European Union, the differentiated approach introduced by the EU and the resulting peculiarities of Armenia's European integration and also the complex interplay between EU engagement and Russian influence in shaping Armenia’s strategic choices. This book explores Armenia’s evolving relationship with the European Union, focusing on the intersection of Europeanization, domestic reform, and the ongoing challenges of regional geopolitics. The study combines qualitative and quantitative research and engages with broader debates on EU enlargement, neighborhood policy, and conflict transformation in the South Caucasus. The impacts of the Russian-Ukrainian war on neighboring regions have also been taken into account and studied. The paper describes the benefits Armenia has derived from its evolving relationship with the European Union, the differentiated approach introduced by the EU and the resulting peculiarities of Armenia's European integration and also the complex interplay between EU engagement and Russian influence in shaping Armenia’s strategic choices.