Zakharova: Armenia's rapprochement with the EU will automatically mean the end of all preferences within the EAEU
15.09.2026,
19:57
Armenia's rapprochement with the EU will automatically mean the end of all preferences within the EAEU, stated Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. Armenia's rapprochement with the EU will automatically mean the end of all preferences within the EAEU, stated Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
"Russia's position on the need to hold a national referendum as soon as possible regarding Yerevan's launch of the EU accession process has not changed. We have expressed this to our Armenian colleagues, repeatedly during negotiations, and publicly stated this position," Zakharova said at a briefing on Tuesday.
According to her, Russia continues to believe that Armenia needs to determine its future integration course. "It would not only be fair, but absolutely necessary to determine the path the republic, led by Prime Minister Pashinyan, is taking," Zakharova said.
She noted that this position is shared by other EAEU partners and was reflected in the joint statement of the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia on May 29 of this year.
"If everyone is participating in a single integration association, then, accordingly, they bear responsibility, share risks, and, most importantly, plan for the future. If one member of a team that was formed voluntarily—let us remember, no one forced them into it—publicly states and, what's more, takes steps, including legal ones, to demonstrate that they no longer see their future within this team," Zakharova said.
According to her, Russia is taking note of the Armenian side's arguments regarding the inadvisability of holding such a referendum at this time.
"All the Armenian leadership's arguments that this Western European alternative has supposedly not yet been formed simply fall short against the law adopted last April on Armenia's accession to the EU. "Attempts to convince everyone that, in order to hold a referendum, one must first, allegedly, obtain candidate status for EU membership, seem more like manipulation," Zakharova noted.
"Russia's position on the need to hold a national referendum as soon as possible regarding Yerevan's launch of the EU accession process has not changed. We have expressed this to our Armenian colleagues, repeatedly during negotiations, and publicly stated this position," Zakharova said at a briefing on Tuesday.
According to her, Russia continues to believe that Armenia needs to determine its future integration course. "It would not only be fair, but absolutely necessary to determine the path the republic, led by Prime Minister Pashinyan, is taking," Zakharova said.
She noted that this position is shared by other EAEU partners and was reflected in the joint statement of the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia on May 29 of this year.
"If everyone is participating in a single integration association, then, accordingly, they bear responsibility, share risks, and, most importantly, plan for the future. If one member of a team that was formed voluntarily—let us remember, no one forced them into it—publicly states and, what's more, takes steps, including legal ones, to demonstrate that they no longer see their future within this team," Zakharova said.
According to her, Russia is taking note of the Armenian side's arguments regarding the inadvisability of holding such a referendum at this time.
"All the Armenian leadership's arguments that this Western European alternative has supposedly not yet been formed simply fall short against the law adopted last April on Armenia's accession to the EU. "Attempts to convince everyone that, in order to hold a referendum, one must first, allegedly, obtain candidate status for EU membership, seem more like manipulation," Zakharova noted.
