Russia says Armenia’s EAEU membership up to Yerevan to decide

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk has said that any decision on whether Armenia should leave the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in pursuit of European Union (EU) membership must be made solely by the Armenian people and based on a careful weighing of all factors.

Overchuk noted that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had recently stated it was not possible for a country to be a member of both the EAEU and the EU at the same time. The Russian official said that, if Yerevan were ever to consider such a step, he was confident that a wide range of considerations would influence the final decision, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

Pashinyan said last week that his government understood the impossibility of holding membership in both blocs simultaneously. He stressed that when the moment of an inevitable choice arrived, Armenia would make a decision based on the will of its people, an analysis of the situation, and the outcome of negotiations.

The Armenian prime minister added that any scenario remained possible and emphasised that the country’s course would ultimately depend on the assessment of national interests.

Pashinyan and Overchuk had met earlier in August to discuss bilateral ties, including trade dynamics and the implementation of joint Armenian-Russian programs.

By Sabina Mammadli