EAEU Leaders Propose Armenia To Hold A Referendum On EU Membership

Moscow is increasing pressure on Yerevan over its rapprochement with the West.

Armenia needs to hold a referendum on joining the European Union and leaving the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) as soon as possible, The Moscow Times writes. This is stated in a joint statement of the EAEU countries published on the Kremlin's website following the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Astana. "We share the position that it is necessary to hold a national referendum in the Republic of Armenia as soon as possible on joining the European Union or further staying within the Eurasian Economic Union," the statement said by the presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The signatories believe that preparations for Yerevan's accession to the EU carry "significant risks" to the economic security of the EAEU countries. The issue of the potential consequences of "suspension of the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty with respect to the Republic of Armenia" will be discussed at the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council to be held in December, the statement said. Earlier, President Vladimir Putin said that Armenia should raise the issue of integration with the EU with simultaneous withdrawal from the EAEU. Only in such a scenario will the two countries be able to follow "the path of a soft, intelligent and mutually beneficial divorce," he emphasized.

Putin also reminded Yerevan of the fate of Ukraine, the conflict with which, he said, began after the latter's attempt to join the EU. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in turn, said that the republic was not going to put the issue of EAEU membership to a plebiscite now and that the authorities were seeking to preserve relations with Moscow.

Kremlin is pressing Armenia, which has adopted a course of rapprochement with the EU and the United States, with economic and political methods. Earlier, Russian authorities restricted the import and sale of Armenian vegetables, mineral water, alcohol, flowers and other goods, and threatened Yerevan with halting gas supplies if it did not give up its attempts to get out from under Russian influence.

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