“Do we want to be a full member of the EU? Yes—unequivocally and clearly,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during the discussion “Armenia and Peace at the Crossroads of Risks and Opportunities,” while emphasizing that to become a member of the Union, the country must meet European standards.
“Our strategy is as follows: we must proceed very firmly and clearly along the path that transforms Armenia into a country that meets EU standards. When this happens, it becomes a matter of political decision because we must take into account that the EU may decide that it will no longer expand. The opposite could also happen.
In other words, at this point we have two options: either we are accepted as an EU member, which is only possible if we meet the standards, or we are not accepted as an EU member for certain reasons. In both cases, Armenia benefits. In one case, we become an EU member; in the other case, we do not become an EU member, but we are a state that meets EU standards, modern standards,” he said.
Pashinyan also noted that, on the other hand, Armenia cannot be both an EU member and an EAEU member, and added:
“However, the current reality shows that there is still space to pursue this path while remaining an EAEU member. We are currently within that space. We state this clearly; we are not pretending. We clearly declare that we are following this path, but today we are an EAEU member, which means there is no incompatibility at this point—otherwise, it would not be possible.
Therefore, as long as compatibility allows, we will continue to remain an EAEU member. When incompatibility becomes unavoidable, we will make that decision together with the citizens of Armenia, based on the free expression of the Armenian people.”
