Brussels reiterates support for Armenia’s EU integration efforts

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has said that Brussels will support Armenia’s aspirations toward EU integration.

“Only the people of Armenia can decide about their future, and the latest European Political Community Summit, as well as the EU–Armenia Summit, have shown which path they want to take,” Commissioner Kos said when asked by reporters ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels to comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s latest remarks.

“And Europe will support them [Armenia]. Of course, we are aware of the geopolitical dynamics in this region, and we will follow this very carefully,” she added.

Asked at a press conference after the Victory Day parade about Yerevan’s EU aspirations, Putin said it would be appropriate for Armenia to hold a referendum to choose between the EU and its current membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. Putin has repeatedly said that it is impossible for a country to be simultaneously a member of both. Last year, Armenia’s parliament adopted a bill initiating the process of joining the European Union.

Earlier this year, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia will continue implementing the necessary reforms to meet the criteria for joining the European Union until it fully complies with those standards.

Once Armenia meets those criteria, he said, EU membership will become a matter of political decision and will depend on whether the EU is ready to accept Armenia. “If yes, the Republic of Armenia will apply for full EU membership. If not, the implementation of the aforementioned reforms will still be a strategic achievement for the Republic of Armenia, because Armenia will have become a country fully compliant with European standards,” Pashinyan said in April this year.