Pallone Applauds U.S. and E.U. Support for Armenia, Calls for Additional Security and Humanitarian Assistance for Artsakh

Long Branch, NJ – Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chair Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) applauded pledges of assistance from the United States and European Union to Armenia during a multilateral meeting today between Secretary of State Antony Blinken, European Union Chief Ursula von der Leyen, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The United States pledged $65 million in economic support, and the European Union pledged $290 million through its Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia to enhance cooperation between Armenia, the United States, and European partners.

“I’m grateful to the Biden Administration and the European Union for taking bold, unprecedented steps to invest in Armenia. This funding will go a long way to help Armenia achieve independence and growth in its transportation, energy, and telecommunications sectors,” Pallone said. “In addition to the positive financial implications for the country, these pledges show critical support for one of the few truly democratic countries in the region. It also sends a clear message that we want to strengthen our partnership with the Armenian people and assist them as they continue to implement economic reforms moving forward.

“While each side recognized the Armenian refugees from Artsakh, we are still not doing enough to help the 100,000 people who were forced to flee their homeland because of Azerbaijan’s genocidal campaign last year. We must act to implement an internationally guaranteed right of return for these people.

“We must also address Armenia’s dire need for security assistance, including defensive materials to protect their territorial integrity against a potential Azerbaijani attack. That’s why I am currently leading an appropriations letter calling for $250 million in funding to address the humanitarian crisis and bolster Armenia’s security. The U.S. and E.U. support today is an important, historic step in the right the direction, but I will continue working with my colleagues on the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues to ensure Armenia receives all of the support it needs.”