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Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said that no one in the Eurasian Economic Union is planning any specific measures against Armenia, adding that the country remains a full member of the bloc and is fulfilling its obligations in good faith.
Overchuk, in an interview with the Russian TASS news agency, again said Armenia must clarify whether it intends to remain a member of the Eurasian Economic Union or move closer to the European Union, arguing that the two paths may be incompatible. He warned that the current uncertainty creates risks for investors and said EAEU members are studying the legal and economic implications of Armenia’s possible shift toward EU standards.
Overchuk expressed concern over Russia’s EAEU ally Armenia’s growing ties with Europe, arguing that the EU has shifted from an economic integration bloc into a more political and military union.
“First of all, no one in the Eurasian Economic Union wants to take any specific measures against Armenia. Armenia is a member state of the Eurasian Economic Union. Armenia is faithfully fulfilling its obligations within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. I can say this responsibly because we are monitoring the entire regulatory legal framework of Armenia for possible deviations from the obligations it has assumed within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. And we have not identified such deviations. Yes, there has been a declared desire to move toward European standards, but I want to say that not all European standards are bad. There are also many good things there. And what concerns us? Today the European Union has, in fact, transformed from an economic integration union, as we all know well, and many good and attractive things have been done there. But it has transformed into a military-political union that is now demonstrating hostile behavior toward our country. And here we have questions about where Armenia is heading, what the consequences are, and why we should support that movement,” Overchuk said.
He added that, on the other hand, they clearly understand that if Armenia is moving toward the European Union, it must decide and make a choice about where it should be.
According to him, the statement adopted by the heads of Armenia’s EAEU allies—Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan—during the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Astana clearly suggests that the Armenian leadership should consider holding a referendum as soon as possible.
“I believe that this would be in everyone’s interest, because the current unstable situation creates uncertainty primarily for all investors. Why? Because if, for example, Armenia joins the European Union, it means that there will be new standards and new technical regulations that do not correspond to our standards and regulations,” said the Russian Deputy Prime Minister.
He added that this uncertainty is harmful for everyone, including Armenia. “That is why the leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union have asked to make a decision as soon as possible. And, of course, if we talk about the law of the Eurasian Economic Union, it does not currently envisage the withdrawal of any member state or the termination of participation in the Union’s activities. This is an issue that must be examined purely from a legal perspective, because we are now facing a specific legal collision, and it must be studied. This should be treated very calmly, and we will work calmly. But again, we are very concerned about this movement toward Europe, which in our view potentially causes very great harm to Armenia, the Eurasian Economic Union, and businesses in our countries, which are in a state of uncertainty. And what should be done? That is exactly the question. This is a working situation that requires a working approach,” Overchuk stressed.
When asked whether options for suspending Armenia’s EAEU membership could be considered by year-end, Overchuk said:
“No, the idea is to study possible courses of action and report on them by December. Obviously, a working group will be formed, which will include the relevant interested member states. Members of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council have been tasked with examining these issues. They will assess the situation and present proposals to the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, which will convene in Saint Petersburg in December 2026,” he said.
Armenia, a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), was earlier notified by its union partners—Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan—that they would like to see a referendum in Armenia choosing between staying in the EAEU or withdrawing and moving toward the European Union. The developments come amid growing ties between Armenia and the EU, which Armenia says do not contradict its EAEU membership for now.
In response to that statement, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on June 1 that Armenia will continue to work within the Eurasian Economic Union framework until the point when choosing between the European Union and the EAEU becomes unavoidable. The Prime Minister noted that there are currently no grounds for holding such a referendum, as Armenia’s European integration process is not yet at a stage where citizens can be presented with a clear choice. “Until the point when Armenia has either officially applied for EU membership or is very close to obtaining candidate status, holding any referendum would be unreasonable,” Pashinyan had said.