Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the inexpediency of holding a referendum on EU membership, stressing the importance of continuing work within EAEU and maintaining a smooth foreign policy balance.
According to the chief executive, until the country makes a formal bid or is very close to candidate status, such a vote is only theoretical, so the government will continue to work quietly within the Union, where there is still untapped potential.
In his video message, the head of the government compared the model of balance in international relations with cosmic gravity, stressing that drastic steps and the disproportion of scales can lead to catastrophic consequences. According to him, the formation and restoration of the new balance should take place as smoothly as possible, so that the process remains exclusively manageable and keeps the state free from shocks.
Referring to the interaction with Moscow, Pashinyan described the current transformation phase of bilateral relations positively, calling them open and sincere, without any dark corners.
In the context of economic security, he explained that independence implies the diversification of dependencies, when dependence on a few sources is replaced by connections with many partners, which reduces possible risks and allows bargaining on more favorable terms.
According to this logic, in recent years, Armenia has established diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as well as actively working towards the normalization of relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, which is not a whim, but a necessity for the vital activity of the state.
Discussions about Yerevan’s geopolitical vector intensified after the leaders of the four countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU): Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan made a joint statement based on the results of the Astana summit.
In the document, they called on Armenia to hold a nationwide referendum as soon as possible to make a final choice between joining the European Union or remaining within the EAEU. This admonition followed the adoption of the bill on European integration by the RA government at the beginning of 2025, which, according to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, did not imply direct membership and required a mandatory referendum in the future.
Against the background of these developments, the economic relations between Yerevan and Moscow have sharply worsened. The Russian side officially warned the leadership of Armenia about the possibility of suspending or canceling cooperation agreements in the field of natural gas and oil products supply, if Yerevan continues the process of joining the European Union.
In addition, Moscow has already restricted the import of a number of key products of Armenian production, including agricultural products, flowers and alcohol, which has caused significant economic pressure for the republic at the stage of choosing a strategic foreign policy course.
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