Deepening relations with the European Union is not the end of the process, but it should not be equated with severing ties with Russia. Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan stated this in an interview with Public Television, addressing strategic cooperation with the European Union and its possible impact on Armenian-Russian relations.
“I have said that deepening our relations with the European Union does not aim to sever ties with the Russian Federation. Severing ties with the Russian Federation should not be equated with membership in the EAEU. We are currently a member state of the EAEU, and we have beneficial cooperation, including very beneficial cooperation for us, within the framework of the EAEU. If one day the question arises of joining the European Union, alongside that question another one must arise—whether to remain in the EAEU. I cannot deny this, and no one can, but if that day comes, or when that day comes, we will all sit down and think about it; it will become a subject of discussion, and a decision will have to be made on that issue.
“Now our relations with the European Union are gradually deepening. Yes, this is not the end yet. We ultimately have a law, a law of the Republic of Armenia, which essentially obliges the executive authority of the Republic of Armenia to launch the process of accession to the European Union. This is a law; this is known to the entire world. Obligations stem from this, therefore where we are today is not the end, but I want us to look at the recent dynamics and, if we are talking about the European Union, see where we are. We had the European Union’s civilian monitoring mission, which monitored the situation in the border area. Did this contribute to stability? I think it is indisputable that it did. We had consultations in the field of security and defense. Did such an agenda exist with the EU before? It did not. We received the European Union’s support under the ‘Resilience and Growth’ program, multi-sectoral and highly diversified, including geographically. The Republic of Armenia benefits unequivocally. We received support for the Republic of Armenia in the defense sector under the mechanism called the ‘European Peace Facility.’ One was implemented, the second was delayed, but consensus on the second has already been announced, and it will also take place. We will start negotiations on the third. We had this declaration of elevating our agenda to the strategic level, and so on, and so on.
“The security system that we had is a fact for everyone, and I think it has long since ceased to be debated. Everyone has accepted this: the security system that we had with a group of partners did not work at the necessary moment, and the Republic of Armenia no longer considers that security system as part of its security. We have frozen our membership in the CSTO,” Mirzoyan said.
The foreign minister also noted that the visa liberalization process has begun, and the next stage will be sectoral integration. “There is a long road that we have traveled and will continue to travel,” he said.
