Zelensky arrives in Yerevan for European Political Community Summit, his first visit to Armenia

Editor's note: The story has been updated with the latest details.

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Yerevan on May 3 to attend the European Political Community summit.

Zelensky held bilateral meetings with the prime ministers of the U.K., Norway, Finland, and the Czech Republic on the first day of his visit.

The president then took part in the "Washington format" discussion, including the leaders of France, the U.K., Italy, Norway, Poland, Finland, Canada, as well as EU leaders Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO chief Mark Rutte,  on May 4.

According to the president's spokesperson, Serhii Nykyforov, bilateral meetings will continue on May 4.

Leaders from more than 40 European countries gather at the summit to discuss strategies for ending the wars in Ukraine and Iran.

"The key is more security and coordination for all of us," Zelensky said on social media after landing.

At the conclusion of his meetings on May 3, Zelensky said his objectives from the first day of meetings primarily focused on strengthening Ukraine's air defense and providing energy support ahead of next winter, as well as accelerating the delivery of a 90 billion euro EU loan to Kyiv.

Zelensky also said on May 4 that he and von der Leyen agreed to move forward with a "drone deal" between Kyiv and the EU.

"We are preparing a plan that will allow us to create the necessary security infrastructure," the president commented.

The visit marks Zelensky's first trip to Armenia since he took office in 2019. He first met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in 2023 at a summit of the European Political Community in Spain.

While Pashinyan hasn't visited Kyiv during Russia's full-scale war, his ex-wife, Anna Hakobyan, traveled to Ukraine's capital in 2023 for the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.

Pashinyan previously said that Armenia is seeking closer ties with the European Union, though full membership remains uncertain. Amid a widening rift with Russia, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan signed a law last year to formally begin the country's path toward EU accession.

Kyiv has also maintained good relations with Azerbaijan, Armenia's primary regional foe, throughout the all-out war. Zelensky visited Azerbaijan in late April and signed cooperation deals with President Ilham Aliyev.