The key facts

  • Pashinyan: Armenia remains in the EAEU, but will apply for EU membership in 2027–2028
  • The prime minister again stated that Armenia's interests in the CSTO are 'exhausted'; it was earlier reported that the CSTO may strip Armenia of its voting rights
  • Political scientist Ordukhanian linked Yerevan's anti-Russian course to the influence of Turkey and the United Kingdom — this is his assessment, not a confirmed fact

Pashinyan's statements on the EAEU, the EU and the CSTO

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia does not intend to leave the Eurasian Economic Union, but plans to submit an application for EU membership in 2027–2028. This is reported by Gazeta.Ru. He again declared the authorities' intention to offer citizens 'alternatives' in a potential referendum, and also announced that 'Armenia's interests with regard to the CSTO are exhausted.'

Context around the CSTO

The statement about exhausted interests in the CSTO came against the backdrop of earlier reports that the organization may strip Armenia of its voting rights. Thus, the combination of two lines — maintaining membership in the EAEU while simultaneously applying for EU membership and effectively distancing itself from the CSTO — means that Yerevan is choosing different degrees of participation in different groupings involving Russia, rather than a complete break all at once. For now, these are the prime minister's statements of plans: the EU membership application has been set for 2027–2028, and the referendum is described as potential.

Political scientist's assessment

In a comment to Gazeta.Ru, Americanist political scientist Rafael Ordukhanian expressed the opinion that the main beneficiaries of Pashinyan's anti-Russian course are Turkey and the United Kingdom. According to him, 'the Americans have less influence on political processes here,' while behind Yerevan's statements stand Turkey and England, which 'are sponsoring this entire process.' He also called the Turkey–Britain pairing 'a long-standing historical alliance' working against the strengthening of Russia's influence, and stated that the British have achieved the result that 'for the first time in the five-hundred-year history of our relations, Armenia is now, for the first time, acting as an anti-Russian force.' We emphasize: this is an evaluative judgment by an invited expert, cited by the outlet, and not a confirmed fact; Pashinyan himself, in the quoted statements, did not explain the motives behind his course.