EU Ambassador Vassilis Maragos on new regional investments, border infrastructure, and Armenia’s growing EU ties

In an exclusive interview with CivilNet, published in July, EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos highlights the tangible outcomes of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent regional tour. 

Following the announcement of the European Union’s new regional connectivity package for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Maragos outlines how a €200 million grant assistance framework is expected to leverage roughly €2 billion in public and private investments across transport, energy, and digital links. 

Ambassador Maragos emphasises that this €2 billion investment package complements the €2.5 billion already earmarked and is being allocated specifically for Armenia as part of the EU’s Global Gateway initiative. Highlighting ongoing local projects—such as green public transit initiatives like Yerevan’s new bus fleet—the Ambassador illustrates how European funding directly impacts daily infrastructure alongside broader regional resilience efforts. 

Looking toward future integration, the new capital allocations are set to back key transport initiatives, reinforcing Armenia’s ‘Crossroads of Peace’ proposal and its integration into the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor. As efforts continue to unblock regional borders, Ambassador Maragos confirms that the EU has made concrete commitments to finance three crucial new border crossing facilities—two on the Turkish border and one connecting Yeraskh to Nakhchivan.

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