European Union officials have welcomed the release of four Armenians held by Azerbaijan, describing the move as an important step in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.
EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy spokesperson Anita Hipper said in a post on X:
“We welcome today’s release and transfer of 4 Armenians held by Azerbaijan.
It is a great step forward in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process. The EU will continue to support further positive steps between the two countries.”
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Magdalena Grono also commented on the development, writing on X:
“The EU warmly welcomes today’s release by Azerbaijan of four Armenians, as well as other recent positive steps Armenia and Azerbaijan have been taking towards comprehensive lasting peace.”
Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that on January 14, 2026, Azerbaijan transferred Davit Davtyan, Gevorg Sudjyan, Vigen Euljekdjian, and Vagif Khachatryan to Armenia. He said preliminary medical examinations showed that Davtian, Sudjyan and Euljekdjian have no health issues, while Khachatryan’s condition was assessed as satisfactory. The four were transported to Yerevan.
Gevorg Sudjyan and Davit Davtyan were captured in November 2020 after the end of the war while attempting to deliver aid to Nagorno-Karabakh and were sentenced in Azerbaijan to 15 years in prison. Lebanese-Armenian Vigen Euljekdjian was detained on November 10, 2020, while traveling to Shushi and was sentenced to 20 years. Vagif Khachatryan was detained in July 2023 near the Hakari Bridge while traveling from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia for medical treatment under the escort of the International Committee of the Red Cross. In late December 2025, reports emerged that his health condition had deteriorated while in detention in Baku.
