Saying Eurasian Union is ‘Paralyzed,’ Pashinyan Blasts Russia after Call with Putin

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday blasted Russia’s ongoing sanctions on imports of Armenian goods, two days after he initiated a telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who asked the Armenian leader to call a referendum on Armenia’s membership in the European Union “as soon as possible.”

Shrugging off the demands from Putin and other leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union, Pashinyan told reporters that the Russia-led group is “paralyzed” and predicted its eventual demise.

Pashinyan insisted that his government was seeking alternative alliances and called for the immediate resolution of the sanctions on Armenia’s exports to Russia.

“That problem is not Armenia’s problem. It is the EEU’s problem because it means in effect that the Eurasian Economic Union is paralyzed and not working. And if this problem is not resolved quickly, let me predict that it will be the beginning of the EEU’s end,” Pashinyan said.

“Problems have arisen in relations with the EEU due to well-known circumstances, as a result of the fact that the Republic of Armenia has tried to find alternatives. It is very important to have legitimacy in politics, including among partners in the Russian Federation. The question is when this alternative should be implemented. The leaders of the EEU countries, in a statement adopted on May 29, have recognized Armenia’s right to hold a referendum on joining the European Union. That is, they have recognized the legitimacy of this agenda,” Pashinyan gave his interpretation of the EEU leaders’ declaration.

“I told the Russian president that we have announced this path and we will follow this path, especially now that the people [of Armenia] also have voted for it. I do not imagine that as a result of our policy we will find ourselves in a situation where Armenia has no alternatives. Armenia must always and in all matters have alternatives, and the era of not having alternatives is closed,” Pashinyan said.

Meeting in Astana in May, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan threatened to kick Armenia out of the EEU and urged Pashinyan to hold a referendum on EU membership. They also instructed their prime ministers to present “possible consequences” of such a scenario at an EEU summit planned for December.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a rare statement on Tuesday warning that an exit from the EEU by Armenia and membership in the EU would plunge the country into “deep economic crisis.”

The SVR also signaled that neither the EU nor Armenia should anticipate that the EEU and its members states would rescue Armenia from the economic downfall it predicts will take place if Armenia continues its EU aspirations.

The SVR also said that the EU is aware of the deep economic crisis that will hit Armenia if Yerevan leaves the EEU, but Brussels, nevertheless, will continue to force Armenia’s hand by offering what the Russian Intelligence Service called “unconditional support” to Yerevan.

“According to information received by the SVR, Brussels recognizes the inevitability of a deep economic crisis in Armenia if Yerevan ends up outside the Eurasian Economic Union,” the SVR said, adding that many European countries have already signaled to the EU leadership that they are not prepared to open their markets to goods from Armenia at the expense of domestic producers