Putin to Pashinyan: Membership in EU and Eurasian Economic Union is economically incompatible
01.04.2026,
20:10
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed Armenia's relations with the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union at a meeting in the Kremlin on Wednesday.
YEREVAN, April 1. /ARKA/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed Armenia's relations with the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union at a meeting in the Kremlin on Wednesday.
Putin stated that Russia is relaxed about Armenia's developing relations with the European Union, but that being in both the Eurasian Economic Union and the EU simultaneously is impossible.
"We see that Armenia is discussing developing relations with the European Union. We are completely relaxed about this. We understand that any country seeks maximum benefits from cooperation with third countries. But this must be obvious, it must be stated honestly, upfront, as they say: being in a customs union with the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is impossible. It is simply impossible by definition. And the issue isn't even political, but purely economic," Putin noted.
Pashinyan, for his part, emphasized that Armenia knows that membership in the EAEU and the EU is incompatible.
"As long as it's possible to combine these agendas, we will do so, and when processes develop to the point where a decision must be made, I am confident that the citizens of the Republic of Armenia will accept that decision. In this context, our relations with the Russian Federation have never been and never will be in question, because these ties and relations are very deep and non-negotiable," Pashinyan said.
Putin stated that Russia is relaxed about Armenia's developing relations with the European Union, but that being in both the Eurasian Economic Union and the EU simultaneously is impossible.
"We see that Armenia is discussing developing relations with the European Union. We are completely relaxed about this. We understand that any country seeks maximum benefits from cooperation with third countries. But this must be obvious, it must be stated honestly, upfront, as they say: being in a customs union with the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is impossible. It is simply impossible by definition. And the issue isn't even political, but purely economic," Putin noted.
Pashinyan, for his part, emphasized that Armenia knows that membership in the EAEU and the EU is incompatible.
"As long as it's possible to combine these agendas, we will do so, and when processes develop to the point where a decision must be made, I am confident that the citizens of the Republic of Armenia will accept that decision. In this context, our relations with the Russian Federation have never been and never will be in question, because these ties and relations are very deep and non-negotiable," Pashinyan said.
