Ex-premier rules out EU, NATO membership for Armenia

Former Armenian Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, in an interview with Armenian media, reflected on Armenia's chances of becoming a member of the EU and NATO.

"After joining the EAEU, and especially under the conditions of very soft Russian policy, when the quality of Armenian products is not really controlled, and when Russia's share in Armenia's foreign trade today exceeds 50%, diversification is out of the question," said, per Caliber.Az.

"The second part of diversification is the products we export, but we know that trade with Russia has grown because of re-exports. In other words, no professional signs are pointing to diversification," he added.

The politician went on to say he doesn't consider other platforms realistic. He had doubts about the seriousness of the Armenian authorities' statement on an application for EU membership. Bagratyan rules out his country's joining the EU and NATO. By the time Armenia gets to membership, the European Union itself will collapse, he believes.

"First of all, NATO doesn't even accept us, but it is impossible that we will take steps towards NATO, and Russia will tolerate it. Sorry, but I have to say: Russia accepts our not-always high-quality cheeses, and cognacs, of course, there are, for example, good cognacs, but there are just cognacs, which are nothing more than dyed alcohol.

If we continue military cooperation with another power bloc, at least not abstaining, then Russia will start noticing that Armenian shoes, for example, are of poor quality.

The point is not that the West is Armenia's enemy, but that it is Russia's enemy, so by wiping out Russia the West is sucking up to Armenia, and in this case, it doesn't even hide it and says: 'I don't give a damn about Armenia's interests'.

Yes, we have friends in the West, and we have strategic relations with some of them, but the general trend doesn't change, and when it comes to Armenia's interests, where Armenian and Russian interests coincide, the West says: go against the Russians," said Hrant Bagratyan.