YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, January 17, to discuss Armenia’s plans to strive to join the European Union, which prompted stern warnings from Moscow.
Pashinyan explained the situation related to Yerevan’s recent steps in the context of relations with the European Union. The Russian leader gave corresponding comments and assessments,” the Kremlin said in a statement on the call. It did not disclose Putin’s comments.
The statement also said they discussed “further deepening of integration cooperation” between Russia and Armenia. “Significant practical benefits from joint work within the Eurasian Economic Union, including for the Armenian economy,” were noted in that context, added the statement.
The Armenian government’s press office said, for its part, that the two leaders discussed “upcoming actions within the framework of the EEU” as well as bilateral Russian-Armenian relations. It said nothing about the Armenian government’s January 9 decision to approve a bill on the “start of a process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union.”
Just hours after that decision, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Overchuk warned that the EU membership bid is “incompatible” with Armenia’s continued membership in the EEU, which gives the South Caucasus country tariff-free access to Russia’s vast market.
Russian-Armenian trade has skyrocketed in the last three years, solidifying Russia’s status as Armenia’s number one trading partner and main export market. Overchuk said that a withdrawal from the EEU would not only cause a sharp decline in Armenian exports, but also push up the cost of Russian natural gas and food imported by Armenia.
