Türkiye invited to European Political Community summit in Yerevan

ANKARA

Türkiye has been invited to the eighth meeting of the European Political Community, which will be held in the Armenian capital Yerevan on May 4.

The summit will bring together leaders from across the continent under the motto “Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe,” according to the European Council.

The meeting will be co-chaired by European Council President António Costa and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Leaders are expected to discuss democratic resilience, connectivity, and economic and energy security.

A total of 48 heads of state and government have been invited to the gathering. The invited countries include the 27 EU member states, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and several Western Balkan and non-EU European countries.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will also attend as a guest, marking the first time a non-European country has participated in an EPC meeting, the European Council said.

The EPC was launched in 2022 as a platform for political dialogue and cooperation among European countries. It aims to strengthen security, stability and prosperity across the continent.

The Yerevan meeting will also provide leaders with an opportunity for bilateral and multilateral contacts on the sidelines.

The invitation comes amid efforts to normalize relations between Türkiye and Armenia.

Türkiye and Armenia held a joint working group meeting on the rehabilitation and operationalization of the Kars-Gyumri railway.in the eastern Turkish province of Kars on April 28 under the normalization process between the two countries, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

Both sides emphasized the importance of bringing the railway into operation as soon as possible to strengthen regional transport links, according to the ministry.

The European Union welcomed the meeting, saying the restoration of the rail connection would strengthen regional connectivity and deliver “concrete gains” for populations in the South Caucasus.

The EU also said the momentum in the Armenia-Türkiye normalization process reflected broader positive dynamics in the region and encouraged full normalization between the two countries.

The European Council said the Yerevan summit will take place ahead of the first EU-Armenia bilateral summit. Ireland is expected to host the next EPC meeting in November 2026.