Lavrov urged Armenia to decide between the EU and the EAEU
28.08.2026,
12:33
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on Armenia to make an honest choice and decide between the EU and the EAEU.
YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on Armenia to make an honest choice and decide between the EU and the EAEU.
Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia intends to achieve visa liberalization with the EU in 2029 and may soon begin the process of applying for EU membership.
"The goal of focusing on the European Union has been declared, and a law has been adopted to begin the process of joining the European Union. At the May summit, the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union issued a statement calling on the Armenian leadership to hold a referendum and decide whether they want to join the European Union or remain within the Eurasian Economic Union. In my opinion, this is a completely justified request. The norms of one organization are incompatible with the norms of the other. This has already been stated many times," Lavrov noted in an interview with RBC.
Commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement that the republic will decide when the time comes, the Russian Foreign Minister said, "What does 'when the time comes' mean if you've passed a law on Armenia's accession to the European Union?"
"Just the other day, I read that Mr. Pashinyan said that we can talk about a referendum when the application to the European Union is submitted, there's a reaction to it, and a roadmap for accession is prepared—then the referendum will take place. This, in my opinion, doesn't indicate a great deal of trust in Armenian voters and the Armenian people. What's needed is a fair choice—what are you choosing between [joining the European Union] and how you live now, when trade turnover has exceeded $6 billion over the past three years, and reached $12 billion in one year, and the country has developed thanks to the Eurasian Economic Union," Lavrov said. Lavrov assured that everything has been done on the Russian side, noting the advantages Armenia enjoys from its membership in the EAEU and the benefits it receives from purchasing energy from Russia at three to four times the price of the European Union.
"We have regular contacts between our deputy prime ministers. Any issues of interest to Armenians can be discussed, including the situation with the South Caucasus Railway, which is under concession to Russian Railways. And we are surprised to hear how these issues—if they have already arisen—are immediately brought into the public domain, instead of being discussed with the partner. A statement is made: 'We'll remove it, it's ours, and they owe us two billion.' I understand that this, in addition to assessments based on economic analysis, evokes emotions in our citizens. And I am no exception," Lavrov emphasized. Lavrov stated that "there are probably analysts in Armenia and other countries flirting with the European Union—I have no doubt about it—smart, observant people. They simply need to finally understand what the European Union is and what benefits they hope to achieve."
Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia intends to achieve visa liberalization with the EU in 2029 and may soon begin the process of applying for EU membership.
"The goal of focusing on the European Union has been declared, and a law has been adopted to begin the process of joining the European Union. At the May summit, the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union issued a statement calling on the Armenian leadership to hold a referendum and decide whether they want to join the European Union or remain within the Eurasian Economic Union. In my opinion, this is a completely justified request. The norms of one organization are incompatible with the norms of the other. This has already been stated many times," Lavrov noted in an interview with RBC.
Commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement that the republic will decide when the time comes, the Russian Foreign Minister said, "What does 'when the time comes' mean if you've passed a law on Armenia's accession to the European Union?"
"Just the other day, I read that Mr. Pashinyan said that we can talk about a referendum when the application to the European Union is submitted, there's a reaction to it, and a roadmap for accession is prepared—then the referendum will take place. This, in my opinion, doesn't indicate a great deal of trust in Armenian voters and the Armenian people. What's needed is a fair choice—what are you choosing between [joining the European Union] and how you live now, when trade turnover has exceeded $6 billion over the past three years, and reached $12 billion in one year, and the country has developed thanks to the Eurasian Economic Union," Lavrov said. Lavrov assured that everything has been done on the Russian side, noting the advantages Armenia enjoys from its membership in the EAEU and the benefits it receives from purchasing energy from Russia at three to four times the price of the European Union.
"We have regular contacts between our deputy prime ministers. Any issues of interest to Armenians can be discussed, including the situation with the South Caucasus Railway, which is under concession to Russian Railways. And we are surprised to hear how these issues—if they have already arisen—are immediately brought into the public domain, instead of being discussed with the partner. A statement is made: 'We'll remove it, it's ours, and they owe us two billion.' I understand that this, in addition to assessments based on economic analysis, evokes emotions in our citizens. And I am no exception," Lavrov emphasized. Lavrov stated that "there are probably analysts in Armenia and other countries flirting with the European Union—I have no doubt about it—smart, observant people. They simply need to finally understand what the European Union is and what benefits they hope to achieve."
