The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process was central to the Baku discussions. According to Berendsen, both countries should take pragmatic steps towards an agreement and that lasting peace would create new economic opportunities across the region. Bayramov that Azerbaijan remained prepared to finalise the peace treaty, adding that Armenian society needed to recognise that peace served the interests of both countries.

In Yerevan on 27 October, Berendsen Mirzoyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The humanitarian dimension of the peace process featured prominently in his talks with Mirzoyan, during which he announced additional Dutch financial assistance through the ICMP to help locate missing persons and identify human remains connected to the conflict. Berendsen that the search should involve both Armenia and Azerbaijan and could contribute to building trust. Mirzoyan described the issue of missing persons as sensitive for both societies and praised international involvement. Berendsen further welcomed efforts towards normalisation but reiterated that the process should culminate in a signed peace treaty.

Economic cooperation was another priority of the Yerevan visit. Mirzoyan recalled that Armenia and the Netherlands signed a declaration on strategic partnership in March 2025 and said the task was now to implement its provisions. Although political dialogue was active and economic ties were developing, he identified untapped potential in agriculture, floriculture, healthcare and infrastructure. Berendsen Dutch support for Armenian flower producers seeking markets beyond Russia, where import restrictions have created difficulties for businesses. He encouraged Armenia to take advantage of the European Union’s Autonomous Trade Measures, which temporarily suspend import duties on around 80% of Armenian exports to the EU for two years.

At his meeting with Pashinyan, Berendsen positively assessed the Armenian government’s democratic reform agenda and expressed the Netherlands’ readiness to continue supporting it. Pashinyan the importance of expanding trade and economic relations and thanked the Netherlands for its role in developing Armenia-EU relations. The two sides also discussed regional peace, the reopening of transport routes and the implementation of the US-backed Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) and Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace initiative.

The joint press conference in Yerevan also brought renewed attention to tensions between Armenia and its EAEU partners. Asked about a report published on 20 October by Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan examining the possible suspension of the EAEU Treaty’s application to Armenia, Mirzoyan stated that Yerevan had not violated its obligations and had no intention of doing so. Mirzoyan that EAEU founding documents do not provide for the expulsion or suspension of a member state, while the relevant provision of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties requires specific grounds, including a breach of treaty obligations. “The Republic of Armenia has not violated any obligations within the EAEU and does not intend to do so,” he remarked. Armenian foreign minister disagreed with the legal arguments presented by the four member states and alleged that there was a political motive behind attempts to find grounds for suspension.

The visits combined a new framework for Dutch-Azerbaijani cooperation with humanitarian assistance and economic support for Armenia. While the bilateral roadmap sets broad priorities for future cooperation with Baku, the missing-persons initiative provides a practical area of engagement involving both sides of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.