AZE.US
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Armenia should decide as soon as possible whether its economic future lies with the European Union or the Eurasian Economic Union.
If Yerevan continues its path toward the EU, Putin said, Russia and other EAEU partners would have to draw the necessary conclusions and move toward what he called a “soft, intelligent and mutually beneficial divorce.”
The comments came as Armenia continues to move closer to Europe. Putin said Armenia receives “significant advantages” from its membership in the EAEU, including in agriculture, processing industries, customs duties, other fees and migration-related issues.
The message from Moscow was clear: Armenia cannot move toward the European Union while keeping all the economic benefits of the Eurasian framework unchanged.
“One simply needs to say in time what we are going to do,” Putin said. “There is nothing extraordinary here. Everything needs to be calculated – by the Armenian side and by us.”
Putin did not rule out that Armenia’s EU ambitions could be discussed at the next EAEU summit.
At the same time, he said Russians and Armenians have had special ties for centuries, adding that Moscow would not oppose any decision that benefits the Armenian people.
Still, the political meaning of the statement is difficult to miss. Moscow is no longer framing the issue only as dissatisfaction with Yerevan’s foreign policy. It is now speaking in practical terms – customs, migration, markets, duties and economic privileges.
Armenia officially joined the Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015. But since spring 2024, the Armenian authorities have launched a process of European integration. After more than 50,000 signatures were collected, a bill on starting the EU accession process was submitted to parliament. It was adopted in its final reading on March 26 and signed by Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan on April 4.
Putin had already told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on April 1 that Armenia cannot be part of a customs union with both the European Union and the EAEU at the same time.
His latest remarks sounded even more direct. For Yerevan, the signal is that a continued shift toward the EU may come with a price: a revision of Armenia’s current economic model with Russia and the Eurasian bloc.
AZE.US