Clingendael ranks Armenia as EU's top South Caucasus partner

Armenia has replaced Georgia as the European Union’s primary partner in the South Caucasus, with Brussels-Tbilisi ties falling below the level of Georgia’s relationship with Moscow, according to a report by the Dutch Clingendael Institute.

Based on an assessment by 41 regional experts, Armenia–EU relations scored 8.47 out of 10, ranking third among 51 analyzed bilateral pairings. By contrast, Georgia–EU relations dropped to 2.57 points, trailing Tbilisi’s 3.71 score with Russia. The highest bilateral rating across the region was awarded to Azerbaijan and Turkey at 9.31 points, followed by Armenia and France at 9.27 points. Ties between Yerevan and Moscow received 3.80 points, marked as moderately adversarial despite Armenia’s lingering strategic and economic reliance on Russia.

The think tank identified three critical factors for future policy: upcoming EU decisions regarding Georgia, whether Yerevan formally applies for EU membership, and constitutional amendments in Armenia required to finalize a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. Notably, the study recorded a broader regional de-escalation, with no bilateral relationship categorized as entirely hostile.