Failure to Resolve Russian Trade Restrictions Would Mark the Beginning of the End for the EAEU, Pashinyan Says

YEREVAN — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned that a failure to quickly resolve Russia’s restrictions on Armenian exports would mark “the beginning of the end” for the Eurasian Economic Union.

Speaking to reporters on July 29 following a meeting of the Civil Contract party’s executive board, Pashinyan discussed his recent telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“At least on several issues, we reached a common understanding,” Pashinyan said.

He emphasized that Armenia has the legitimate right to develop alternatives for itself.

“I told the Russian president that we have declared that course and that we will continue along that path, particularly now that the Armenian people have voted in favor of it,” Pashinyan said.

“I cannot imagine our policies resulting in a situation in which the Republic of Armenia has no alternatives. Armenia must always have alternatives,” he added.

Asked whether the absence of a publicly announced agreement meant that his talks with Putin had been unsuccessful, Pashinyan replied: “The dialogue was successful because we spoke for a long time.”

During the July 27 telephone call, which was initiated by the Armenian side, Pashinyan stressed that restrictions on the export of Armenian goods to the Russian market contradicted the legal framework governing Armenia-Russia relations and the regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union.

He asked Putin to take measures to resolve the issue.

“This is an EAEU problem,” Pashinyan said. “In practice, the EAEU is paralyzed and is not functioning. If this matter is not resolved quickly, allow me to predict that it will mark the beginning of the end for the EAEU.”

Asked whether the Armenian government might decide to withdraw from the organization sooner, the prime minister replied: “No, we have no such plan.”

Pashinyan also referred to a joint declaration adopted by the leaders of four EAEU member states in Astana on May 29, which he said addressed the prospect of holding a referendum in Armenia on joining the European Union.

“I also told the Russian president that such a vote cannot take place unless the subject of the referendum actually exists,” Pashinyan said.

“To hold that referendum, we must at least have submitted an application for membership in the European Union,” he added.

According to Pashinyan, one of the issues on which he and Putin reached a common understanding was Armenia’s legitimate right to develop foreign-policy and economic alternatives.

“The question is when those alternatives should be exercised,” he said.

During the conversation, Putin reportedly reiterated that Armenia should hold a referendum to determine whether the country intends to pursue a Eurasian or a European path.