Putin says Armenia EU membership referendum would be ‘logical’

The Russian president also envisioned Ukraine war’s end with Schröder in negotiation role

At a Saturday press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a possible end to the Ukraine war, Gerhard Schröder’s potential role as a negotiator, and likened Armenia’s EU bid to what he called the start of “everything that’s happening” in Ukraine.

Asked at a press conference after the Victory Day parade about Yerevan’s EU aspirations, Putin said it would be “quite logical to hold a referendum and ask the Armenian citizens what their choice would be. Based on that, we would make our own choice as well”.

He added: “And then we would have gone down the path of a gentle, civilised, and mutually beneficial separation.”

The former Soviet republic froze its membership in the Russian-led CSTO military alliance in 2024 over Russia’s failure to defend it against Azerbaijan, and has expressed an interest in joining the European Union, angering the Kremlin. It has also signed a series of security memoranda aimed at anchoring itself in a widening network of European and transatlantic defence partnerships and away from Russia.

Putin also drew a parallel with Ukraine. “We are all going through everything that’s happening in the Ukrainian direction right now. But how did it all start? With Ukraine’s attempt to join the EU.”

Armenia on Monday hosted dozens of leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for a summit of the European Political Community (EPC). A separate summit between the EU and Armenia was then held in the capital Yerevan on Tuesday.

“This first EU-Armenia Summit elevates our partnership to a new level and sets a clear direction and agenda for the coming years”, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

After both summits, Russia summoned the Armenian ambassador for a dressing down over hosting Zelensky.

Putin says war is heading to end

When asked after the parade whether the Western military aid to Ukraine had gone too far, Putin said: “They started ratcheting up the confrontation with Russia, which continues to this day.

“I think it (the conflict) is heading to an end but it’s still a serious matter.”

“They spent months waiting for Russia to suffer a crushing defeat, for its statehood to collapse. It didn’t work out.

“And then they got stuck in that groove and now they can’t get out of it,” Putin said, referring to the Western countries.

Putin added he was ready to meet Zelensky in a third country only once all conditions for a potential peace agreement were settled.

“This should be the final point, not the negotiations themselves,” he said.

The Kremlin leader brought former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder into the picture as his preferred European mediator. “Of all European politicians, I would prefer to talk with Schröder”, he said.

Schröder, 82, has remained close to Putin long after leaving office, standing apart from most Western leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

German officials reacted cautiously, saying they had “taken note” of Putin’s comments but viewed them as part of “a series of bogus offers” from Russia, government sources said.

On Saturday, António Costa, the president of the European Council, told reporters the EU will only talk to Putin at the “right moment.”  The remarks appeared to clarify comments he made last week, when he said there was “potential” for EU-Russia peace talks and that Ukraine had given the EU its support for engaging in them.