Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Warns Armenia

The rapid rapprochement of Armenia with the European Union will have negative consequences for both its allied relations with Russia and the development of integration processes in the post-Soviet space. This was stated by Vladislav Maslennikov, the director of the European Affairs Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an interview with TASS.

Commenting on Armenia's intention to join the European Union, he noted that given the EU's rapid transformation into an aggressive geopolitical alliance and its strategic course directed against Russia, "Armenia's interest in joining this organization cannot be overlooked."

“We hope that Armenia, as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, understands the possible negative consequences of rapid rapprochement with Brussels, both for our allied relations and for the development of integration processes in the post-Soviet space,” Maslennikov emphasized.

At the same time, the head of the European Affairs Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed that Russia respects the sovereign right of other countries to participate in integration unions, including their desire to gain additional opportunities for economic development and improve the welfare of their populations. However, he indicated that the Armenian leadership has "clearly signaled its interest in maximizing rapprochement with the European Union."

He noted that in this context, in April 2025, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan signed the law on the "launch of Armenia's EU membership process," which had previously been approved by parliament.

According to Maslennikov, Brussels has already begun to "actively push Yerevan to accept politically motivated EU standards, which fundamentally disregard this Transcaucasian republic's membership in the EAEU and associated obligations."

“The fact remains that simultaneous membership in both the EAEU and the EU is, by definition, impossible,” the diplomat stated.