Russia confirms official notification that Armenian PM will skip EAEU summit

Russia on Thursday confirmed that it had been officially notified that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will not attend the May 28 Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit, which will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan.

"We have received an official notification from the Armenian side that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will not be able to attend the upcoming meeting of the EAEU leaders. Armenia will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a weekly press briefing.

Zakharova also commented on the Armenian government’s policy toward EU integration, saying that Moscow has repeatedly warned that the country cannot simultaneously be a member of the EAEU and join the EU.

Pashinyan had earlier said that he would skip the summit because of the campaigning period in Armenia and that he had notified Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.