Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin has called on Armenia to hold a referendum before formally applying for European Union membership, questioning the integration policy pursued by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government.
Pankin described Armenia’s European ambitions as contradictory, arguing that Yerevan was using the economic benefits of its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to pursue what he called the “unrealistic” prospect of joining another integration bloc, TASS reported.
He said Armenian citizens should be given the opportunity to determine the country’s future integration path before any application is submitted to Brussels.
Pankin also warned of possible economic consequences if Armenia’s participation in the EAEU were suspended, referring to an assessment prepared by Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
According to the report, published in October, such a scenario could reduce Armenia’s GDP by 15.6%, increase inflation by 14.9 percentage points and lower consumption by 14.6%. The report also projected that natural gas prices could rise by approximately 69%, from $177.50 to $300 per 1,000 cubic meters.
These figures represent the report’s projections rather than established economic outcomes.
Pankin described a possible suspension of the EAEU treaty’s application to Armenia as an extreme measure intended to protect the economic security of member states. He added that Moscow had not received what it considered constructive signals from Yerevan on the matter.
