Russian President Vladimir Putin told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday that Armenia cannot join the European Union while remaining in the Eurasian Economic Union during a bilateral meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Speaking during a tense discussion, Putin warned that potential Armenian accession to the EU is incompatible with membership in the Eurasian economic bloc led by Moscow, which consists of several former Soviet republics.
The Kremlin leader called on the Armenian government in Yerevan to put its desire for European integration to a public referendum as soon as possible. Putin added that Moscow must adjust its trade and economic policies depending on the choices Armenia ultimately makes.
Pashinyan replied that holding a nationwide referendum was unnecessary because Armenia passed a law last year that clearly stated the government's intention to apply for EU membership. However, the Armenian prime minister noted that it remains premature to discuss Armenia departing from the Eurasian Economic Union.
Putin answered Pashinyan by stating that passing legislation to begin entering another economic alliance is equivalent to announcing a formal withdrawal from their existing regional trade bloc.
Regional Alliances and Diplomatic Rift
The two leaders held their discussions in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of a summit for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional security and economic alliance. Moscow established the Eurasian Economic Union in 2015 to create a unified economic market among former Soviet states, including Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Armenia, a landlocked nation of three million people in the South Caucasus, has historically relied on Russia for economic and military cooperation.
The summit meeting was the first face to face talk between Putin and Pashinyan following recent national elections in Armenia that confirmed the country's political shift toward Western nations. Relations between Moscow and Yerevan have cooled sharply as Pashinyan pursues closer ties with the 27-member European Union, prompting Russia to react by imposing trade sanctions against Armenia.
