Pashinyan talks Russian import bans, possible EU referendum in first call with

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking the first time the two leaders have talked, albeit on the phone, since the Armenian parliamentary elections in June that saw Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party notch another term in power. Ahead of the election, Russia stopped short of openly supporting the opposition but made it clear the Kremlin desired Pashinyan’s defeat, and has not publicly congratulated him on his victory in the almost two intervening months.

The official Russian readout of the call, held on Monday, said it had been initiated by Armenia.

The remaining details from the Russian side were brief, simply stating Putin had reiterated Armenia should hold a referendum on attempting to join the EU or maintaining membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

The Armenian readout provided more information about the talks, noting that Pashinyan had focused on ‘problems emerging in bilateral economic relations’.

Regarding Putin’s demands, Pashinyan ‘emphasised that holding a referendum is practically possible only after Armenia submits an official application to the European Union for EU membership and makes the topic substantive’.

Separately, Pashinyan raised the issue of the wave of Russian restrictions on Armenian imports that began before the election and continue to this day, saying the measures ‘contradict the Armenia-Russia legal framework and the regulations of the EAEU’.

Russia has banned the import of a wide range of Armenian products, including alcohol, dairy, flowers, fruits, vegetables, mineral water, fish, and others.

While Russia continues introducing new restrictions, Deputy Russian Prime Minister Aleksei Overchuk has claimed that Russia did not ‘introduce any restrictions for Armenian imports at all’, calling it ‘usual normal work’.

Other Russian officials have said they would replace Armenian products in the Russian market with Azerbaijani goods.

On Tuesday, Putin also had a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, but neither the Russian nor the Azerbaijani readouts of the conversation mentioned Armenia or any connected issues.