Armenia’s choice between the EAEU and the EU is “very difficult,” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said in an interview with TASS.
“Economic and political issues are very closely intertwined here. The ongoing election campaign in Armenia overlays all of this. There are forces there that support maintaining ties with the Eurasian Economic Union. Forces are seeking to lead the country into the European Union. For our part, of course, we want to see Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union,” he emphasized.
“At the same time, we stand for peace in the South Caucasus,” the deputy prime minister continued. “And in fact, Russia’s efforts initially led to the establishment of normal relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan today. We know that delegations are already being exchanged, and trade between the two countries has begun. This is an absolutely normal process, and it cannot help but please us. Armenia has undergone partial transport unblocking. Today, Russian grain and Russian fertilizers are reaching Armenia by rail through Azerbaijan and Georgia. Russia is also participating in the unblocking process. All of this strengthens Armenia. But at the same time, we see that there are forces in Armenia advocating closer ties with the European Union. A law was passed there in April last year. This law quite unequivocally points to a desire to join the European Union.”
“In the current geopolitical situation, when the European Union is turning from an economic integration association into a military-political union, when the EU is militarizing—and militarizing against Russia, without hiding it—Armenians should understand the consequences of such a choice,” he noted.
According to Overchuk, Russia does not want Armenia to lose the economic advantages it currently has. “Armenians are a people close to us, and we are not indifferent to how they live or what the state of Armenia’s economy will be. On the contrary, we are doing everything possible to help the economy there flourish. But if the choice is made in favor of the EU, then of course we have a question: why should we support that at the expense of our budget? If Armenia joins countries that are unfriendly toward Russia, then why should we support it? You must agree that it is one thing if Armenia is part of our union, and quite another if Armenia moves closer to a union of countries unfriendly to us. We hear from the Armenian side that they aspire to the EU and are switching to its standards, but at the same time they want, for now, to remain in the EAEU and enjoy all the economic preferences that participation in the EAEU provides. It would be better if Armenia made up its mind sooner; that would be more honest both toward Armenia’s allies in the EAEU and toward Armenia itself. Moreover, this uncertainty forces economic operators to take a wait-and-see position and hinders the building of long-term economic relations. But, I emphasize, we want Armenia to remain in the EAEU, while the choice belongs to the people of Armenia,” the deputy prime minister continued.
