The RA Prime Minister is going to make an important speech in the European Parliament at the start of the pre-election period. While the government accelerates rapprochement with the West and the peace process, experts and the Russian side warn about the economic and geopolitical risks of this strategic turn.
It is expected that on March 11, the head of the RA government, Nikol Pashinyan, will address the deputies of the European Parliament with a speech. According to the official website of the European structure, this visit is of particular importance ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held in Armenia on June 7, 2026. Brussels expects that the results of the vote will determine the future of the rapidly developing relations between Yerevan and the EU, as well as affect the peace process with Azerbaijan.
European diplomats emphasize the commitment of the Armenian authorities to achieve lasting peace, to regulate the dialogue with Turkey and to move towards possible membership in the European Union. Negotiations on visa liberalization and preparations for the bilateral summit scheduled for May 5 are practical steps in this direction. For Nikol Pashinyan, this will be the second speech from the European podium, after the 2023 visit.
Nevertheless, Yerevan’s pro-European vector causes not only political optimism, but also serious criticism. Analysts point to the structural vulnerability of the Armenian economy, which is historically and logistically deeply integrated into the Eurasian Economic Union. Russia remains the main market for the sale of Armenian agricultural products and light industry products, for which it will be extremely difficult to compete under strict European regulations. Experts warn that a sharp severing of traditional ties could lead to an economic shock, a jump in inflation and a loss of re-export earnings.
In addition, skeptics point out that Europe provides diplomatic support to Armenia, such as a civilian observer mission stationed on the border, but does not provide strong military security guarantees, which creates risks of a security vacuum in the volatile region.
This policy causes special tension in bilateral relations with Russia. Moscow openly declares the incompatibility of Yerevan’s new ambitions and traditional alliance relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has repeatedly emphasized that the transition to the standards of the European Union legally and technically contradicts the EAEU membership.
The Russian side does not see any benefit in the presence of European observers on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, assessing it as an attempt by the EU to push out the Russian mediation from the South Caucasus and bring the region into confrontation with NATO. Moscow warns that the accelerated rapprochement with Brussels will inevitably have a negative impact on the entire complex of Russian-Armenian relations, from the economic to the defense sphere.
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