Armenia maintains “balanced foreign policy,” Pashinyan states

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reiterated that Armenia will avoid any actions that could expose it to international sanctions, stressing that the country maintains a balanced foreign policy between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Pashinyan made the remarks to journalists during an election campaign ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media. 

“We said that we will not join the sanctions regime. But we also said that we will not take steps that could lead us to come under sanctions. We said this directly to both our Russian colleagues and to the Europeans. We also said that, naturally, we do not want to do anything against Russia. But we have a line: if we understand that because of a certain step we could fall under sanctions, we will not take it… Because if Russia can withstand sanctions, Armenia cannot,” Pashinyan explained.

He noted that concerns within the European Union over possible sanctions circumvention by Armenia had been raised, but said Yerevan had invited European representatives to verify compliance. As a result, it was confirmed in writing that the country is not violating anti-Russian sanctions.

“We do not refuse to help Russia, we simply do not want to fall under sanctions ourselves. We cannot withstand them. And why should we fall under them?” he said.

The prime minister also stressed that the upcoming elections are purely domestic in nature.

“These elections have no geopolitical context whatsoever. That cannot be the case, because Armenia follows a balancing policy. There is no conspiracy or action against anyone in our policy. We clearly say that our people should have an alternative,” he said.

Pashinyan added that citizens should be able to choose between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union, depending on which strategic direction they consider most beneficial and promising.

By Vafa Guliyeva