Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said his country is ready to provide support to Armenia and further develop practical cooperation.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan following their meeting in Yerevan on Friday, Tsahkna said that this is his second visit to Armenia as foreign minister and that it reflects Estonia’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

“This is our commitment as the Estonian people: we love you, the Armenian people. You are very close to us, even though there is a great distance between us,” he said.

The Estonian foreign minister also highlighted the opening of Estonia’s embassy in Armenia, emphasizing its practical significance.

“We opened our embassy here, in Armenia. This is not just a symbolic step; it aims to develop practical cooperation between Armenia and Estonia,” Tsahkna said.

According to him, Armenia is at an important stage, and the policies being implemented could have a significant impact not only on the country but also on the entire region.

“The path to peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is extremely important as a prerequisite for the prosperity of the people, as well as the development of business and trade,” he emphasized.

Tsahkna also noted that Estonia is ready to support Armenia by sharing its experience and knowledge, while at the same time being interested in learning from Armenia’s experience.

“We want to support, share our experience, and learn from you,” he said.

The Estonian foreign minister added that the processes taking place in the region can be seen as part of broader geopolitical changes, and Estonia wants to be an active participant in these developments.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Friday that Armenia continues its “dialogue” with Azerbaijan to secure the release of the remaining captives held in Baku.

Asked to comment at a joint press conference with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna in Yerevan, he reiterated that Armenia and Azerbaijan have established peace, but understandably, some outstanding issues remain, with the matter of the captives and other detainees being the most sensitive.

“Our position on this matter has always been the same. Of course, we believe that the established peace needs further institutionalization. Peace exists, and we are enjoying its benefits, but at the same time, we understand that this peace is new and requires care and attention.

Many issues have been resolved—for example, the transit of goods to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory, as well as the bilateral trade that is already taking place and which we believe will continue to grow. Unfortunately, and understandably, not all issues have been resolved, and the matter of Armenian captives and detainees remains the most sensitive issue for our society.

Yes, unfortunately, there are still Armenian captives and detainees in Baku, and our position remains the same: these individuals must be released as soon as possible. We are confident that their release will further strengthen the established peace. We continue our dialogue with Azerbaijan on this topic, and, of course, it remains one of the highest-priority issues on our agenda. We also continue to raise this matter with our international partners.

The cessation of Red Cross activities in Azerbaijan has further complicated the situation. We acknowledge that there is a problem and continue our efforts in this direction. There is no new development on this issue yet; whenever there is news, the entire society immediately learns about it. The only possible new development would be the release of a new group [of captives],” the Armenian Foreign Minister said.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in Yerevan on Friday that his country is taking “practical” steps toward EU visa liberalization for Armenian citizens.

“We are taking a practical step, which is visa liberalization for Armenians, and we are truly making great efforts to achieve this measure,” he said at a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.

The Estonian Foreign Minister also noted that the two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at expanding cooperation between their foreign ministries.

According to him, effective collaboration has already been established in the fields of information technology, digitalization, and cybersecurity, and Estonia is ready to share its expertise.

“We are a highly digitalized country; our government services are provided 100 percent online, and we are ready to share our experience,” Tsahkna said.

At the same time, he emphasized that Estonia is also interested in learning from Armenia’s experience, particularly in the field of nuclear energy.

Tsahkna added that Estonia sees itself as Armenia’s partner within the European Union and is ready to support Armenia’s European-oriented initiatives.

“We are among your best friends in the European Union,” he said.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna addressed the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process and the outstanding humanitarian issues.

“Not all issues can be resolved in a single day; it takes time, as these are very complex problems,” he said at a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Yerevan when asked about the remaining Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan.

At the same time, he described the peace process as a historic step.

“This is a huge and historic step forward for both Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he said.

According to the Estonian Foreign Minister, the ongoing process is real and could serve as a foundation for the region’s future.

“The peace process is real and ongoing; it is shaping the future for the Armenian people,” he noted.

Tsahkna also emphasized that peace is a prerequisite for further development, adding that he hopes the process will lead to the establishment of long-term and just peace.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan reiterated on Friday that “multiple” countries are interested in the TRIPP project, the joint Armenia–United States connectivity initiative.

Asked to elaborate on a recent U.S. State Department comment to Armenpress stating that Armenia is working with the United States and mutually determined third parties to implement TRIPP, Mirzoyan did not name any specific countries but highlighted that work on the project is ongoing.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart, Margus Tsahkna, Mirzoyan noted that despite less favorable developments globally and regionally, bilateral work between Armenia and the United States on TRIPP implementation continues.

“I have had the opportunity to say that we are still in the paperwork phase of the work. We are currently finalizing the intergovernmental agreement. We continuously exchange views and positions on individual issues with representatives of the U.S. administration. We hope that as soon as possible we will move on to the next, construction phase, and this is where we will also need third-party partners,” Mirzoyan said when asked by Armenpress which other countries Armenia and the U.S. are working with.

He clarified that the intergovernmental agreement on the TRIPP project will be bilateral—between Armenia and the United States—but other partners will be needed during the construction phase. According to him, partners may also be required during the systems management phase.

The Armenian Foreign Minister emphasized that although TRIPP is a bilateral project, it serves the interests of many countries, from China to Portugal.

“Not to mention our neighbors. TRIPP is not on another planet. One end will connect to Azerbaijan, the other will end in Nakhchivan—again via Azerbaijan—but the logical continuation is the Yeraskh railway in Armenia, the Kars–Gyumri railway junction, and Türkiye’s railway network. Central Asian countries are particularly interested. Just a day ago, we also met here with Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister, who was accompanied by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport.

Countries in the Middle East are also interested in these topics. For now, there is nothing specific that I can share publicly,” concluded Ararat Mirzoyan.

The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a connectivity project in Armenia, envisaged under the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani joint declaration signed in Washington, D.C. The project is expected to unlock strategic economic opportunities, create long-term benefits by promoting infrastructure investment, and enhance regional connectivity. TRIPP is part of the Crossroads of Peace project, and an Armenian-American joint enterprise is expected to develop the route.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Estonia is ready to share its expertise with Armenia, supporting Armenian companies in exploring new markets and reducing economic dependence on Russia.

Asked at a joint press conference with Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan about potential new markets for Armenian businesses, Tsahkna said practical steps are already underway.

“We have launched a practical seminar aimed at supporting companies in discovering new opportunities in the global market,” he said.

Tsahkna emphasized that Estonia has already gone through a similar process to reduce its dependence on the Russian market.

“We were highly dependent on the Russian market, but after the 1999 economic crisis, we realized that one cannot have such heavy reliance on a single market.” he added.

According to him, that experience has shown that such dependence can create serious risks for businesses, which led Estonian companies to actively expand into global markets.

The Estonian Foreign Minister noted that his country is ready to support Armenian businesses through both public and private sector cooperation.

“We can open doors for your businesses, but it is also very important to maintain continuous efforts in this direction,” he said.

Tsahkna added that this is not only about European markets, but broader global opportunities.

“We are talking about global markets where we can work together,” he emphasized.

He also noted that Armenia is currently undergoing significant economic changes, and that the business sector is a key component of this process.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met on Friday with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna in Yerevan.

According to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office, Pashinyan emphasized the importance of multifaceted Armenia–Estonia cooperation and noted that bilateral relations have become particularly intensive in recent times. He added that this is also evidenced by high-level reciprocal visits, which provide new momentum for expanding ties in various areas.

The Prime Minister highlighted Estonia’s role in developing Armenia–European Union cooperation, including supporting the effective implementation of democratic reforms in Armenia.

Margus Tsahkna stressed Estonia’s interest in deepening cooperation with Armenia. He noted that Estonia is ready to continue providing support to advance the Armenian government’s reform agenda and to promote Armenia–EU engagement. The Estonian Foreign Minister also underscored the importance of holding the upcoming European Political Community Summit in Yerevan, expressing confidence that it will be conducted at a high level.

Nikol Pashinyan and Margus Tsahkna exchanged views on regional developments, as well as on the Armenia–EU cooperation agenda, the process of visa liberalization, and other related issues.

Armenia’s Prosecutor General, Anna Vardapetyan, has approved a request filed by German authorities for the extradition of a robbery suspect.

Vardapetyan’s office said in a press release that the suspect, identified only by the initials G.G., and accused of aggravated theft (theft committed by a group of persons by prior agreement), has been transferred into the custody of German authorities.

Other details were not immediately available.

Despite bad weather, construction on the 32-kilometer Kajaran–Agarak section of the North–South Road is progressing at a rapid pace, the Road Department said in a press release.

Work is continuing on the concreting of the two already excavated tunnels, as well as retaining walls, bridges, artificial structures, and earthworks for the future highway, the government agency responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of road projects said.

Officials emphasize that construction quality is under constant supervision by the technical oversight team and staff of the Road Department.

The Kajaran–Agarak section of the North–South Road is being built with funding from the Government of Armenia and the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development.

Secretary of the Security Council, Armen Grigoryan, held a meeting with Satu Koivu, the new Head of the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA).

Grigoryan congratulated Satu Koivu on assuming the responsible post, wishing her success in her future activities, Grigoryan’s office said in a readout.

The Secretary also expressed gratitude for the work carried out by the EU civilian monitoring mission in Armenia and emphasized that Armenia is ready to continue effective cooperation.

“Satu Koivu, in turn, expressed gratitude for the warm reception and noted that she will contribute her experience and knowledge to further enhance the effectiveness of the mission’s activities,” the readout said.