The official welcoming ceremony of the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, who arrived in Armenia on a state visit, took place. The national anthems of Armenia and France were played during the ceremony, and then the leaders of the two countries greeted the members of the delegations. Next, the expanded meeting of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron took place.

The Prime Minister welcomed the President of the French Republic and the delegation led by him on the occasion of their state visit to the Republic of Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the state visit of the President of France to Armenia was a popular one, because in the last two days, Emmanuel Macron has brought great happiness to numerous citizens of the Republic of Armenia and numerous foreign guests in the Republic of Armenia. “They had the opportunity to communicate with you, take photos, express their love for you, and, of course, feel your love for them. And I think this is truly a new page, not only in terms of our Armenia-France relations, but also a new page in the protocol logic of state visits and visits in general. And I want to express my gratitude, because it is obvious that with these actions, expressing the highest level of our bilateral relations, you have proven that this highest level is reflected not only at the level of state institutions, but also at the level of our peoples," said Nikol Pashinyan, adding that what happened in the capital of Armenia in recent days will long remain in the memory of the citizens of Armenia and all of us.

According to the Prime Minister, the emotional background surrounding the state visit fully reflects the level that has been established between the Republic of Armenia and the French Republic. ''Esteemed Mr. President, I would like to emphasize once again, using this opportunity to express my appreciation to you for this milestone, because I, knowing this whole story from the inside, know that you are the author of the contribution that has given us the opportunity to have such relations not only at the interstate level, but also to form such an attitude towards you among the citizens of the Republic of Armenia.”

Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the citizens of the Republic of Armenia feel that great support, friendship and love, and that contribution is undeniable, which already has its place in the history of the Republic of Armenia. "I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to you again and express my boundless joy that, finally, the state visit, which was long-awaited, you know that you are always a welcome guest in the Republic of Armenia, but that visit took place now and that visit brought with it new shades, thus, I think, opening a new page in diplomatic experience and being recorded as the first state-people's visit, on which I congratulate all of us," Prime Minister Pashinyan concluded.

Emmanuel Macron expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome: “I have already had the opportunity to mention several times that this state visit is of great importance to us. First of all, we are deeply impressed by the warm popular reception that France has received, as well as by the success that this visit represents for Armenia, both in the context of the European Political Community Summit and the first-ever Armenia-European Union Summit. Therefore, we accompany and support this entire process, which is the result of your work and commitment, and you know that France will be by your side. I think it is extremely important to continue this process.”

The French President noted that a number of important agreements will be signed within the framework of this state visit, which fully fit into the framework of the strategic partnership that they are preparing to formulate together. “However, it is equally important that the processes beyond this continue with steady progress, especially in the areas of defense and security, where it is necessary to continuously consolidate the achievements. This is important in terms of training, cooperation, and armaments," said Emmanuel Macron, adding that it is equally important to strengthen cooperation in the areas of economic relations and investments.

The French President noted that new cooperation is planned in various fields, from artificial intelligence to support for the implementation of public policies. “You know how great our support is, and it has grown significantly in recent years, whether through the French Development Agency or other structures. And we want to strengthen it even more, with a greater investment logic.”

According to Emmanuel Macron, this visit simultaneously reflects the strength of the relations between the two countries and the depth that has developed over time, as well as the unifying friendship, the important stage they are going through and which is of particular importance for Armenia. “This is a process that we accompany and in which we believe. It should also open up new perspectives for the future, and this is really important for us. I think I can say that Armenia is loved in France, and this love is also expressed in numerous intersecting destinies. These are human stories that can be encountered both in Yerevan and in the streets of Lyon or Marseille. In other words, we have interconnected destinies. This is also the uniqueness and richness of our bilateral relations," the French President summed up, once again expressing gratitude for the high level of discussions, European successes, and the warm atmosphere of the state visit.