Armenian Prime Minister: We May Soon Begin EU Membership Procedures

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Monday that his country will soon submit its formal application to join the European Union, as Yerevan moves closer to the West and distances itself from Moscow.

Despite being a Russian ally and sharing a common history spanning centuries, Yerevan has recently shifted its focus toward the West, driven by Pashinyan, whose party won the legislative elections last June.

This shift, along with the Armenian prime minister’s desire to integrate his country into the European Union, has had a negative impact on relations between Yerevan and Moscow. In response, the Kremlin imposed sanctions on Armenia, most notably banning the import of Armenian agricultural products, which constitute a major market for them.

Russia insists that Armenia hold a referendum on joining the European Union, while simultaneously arguing that this direction is incompatible with its continued membership in their joint economic alliance, the Eurasian Economic Union.

Speaking before parliament, Pashinyan stated that a referendum would only make sense when it is possible to “assess the feasibility” of joining the European Union.

He added, “We can begin this process in the near future, especially given the urgent demands of our partners in the Eurasian Economic Union,” without specifying a timeline.

In May, the presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan called on Armenia to decide via referendum whether it would join the European Union or remain in their regional union.

Although Yerevan is an official ally of Moscow, it has been strengthening its ties with the European Union amid frustration over Russia’s failure to protect it during its recurring conflicts with neighboring Azerbaijan.

Armenia suspended its membership in a regional security agreement with Moscow in 2024.

Pashinyan said he would be “satisfied” if his country were permanently excluded from this agreement, as it would free him from the “dilemma of withdrawing from it or remaining in it.”