Moscow warns Armenia against visa regime as Yerevan deepens EU ties

Armenia would ultimately harm its own citizens if it introduced a visa regime with Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, as tensions over Yerevan’s foreign-policy direction continue to expose differences between Armenia and Moscow.

“If Armenia suddenly introduces visas as well, it will not introduce them against us — it will introduce them against its own citizens,” Zakharova said, according to RIA Novosti.

She added that such a move would also affect Russian citizens who have numerous relatives in Armenia, highlighting the extensive family ties between the two countries.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also addressed the issue, saying that cooperation with Russia provides Armenia with tangible economic benefits and that Moscow is fully aware of them.

At the same time, Peskov said Armenia’s current leadership, headed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has a different vision for the country’s future.

The comments come as Armenia continues to strengthen its economic and political ties with the European Union.

The day before, the Council of the EU approved temporary trade-liberalisation measures for Armenia that will remove customs duties on about 80% of Armenian exports to the bloc.

The issue of Armenia’s prospective EU membership was also raised during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pashinyan. Putin again urged the Armenian prime minister to make a decision on Armenia’s accession to the EU, saying the matter should be settled as quickly as possible.

Yerevan’s increasingly pronounced European orientation has become a sensitive issue in relations with Moscow, which has traditionally regarded Armenia as a key partner in the South Caucasus.

By Tamilla Hasanova