Yerevan /Mediamax/. Russia views the start of Armenia’s discussions on the bill launching the process of the EU accession as the beginning of the country’s withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

This was stated by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk. He noted that Moscow “will build its economic policy towards Armenia taking into account this circumstance.”

“At the same time, this is the sovereign choice of the Republic of Armenia, to which it is undoubtedly entitled,” the Russian deputy prime minister emphasized.

Alexei Overchuk noted that “the EAEU and the EU are incompatible, as both unions assume the absence of customs borders and free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce.”

“To imagine that these two unions will converge at some point is impossible. That is why the bill on launching EU accession process places Armenia before a choice,” he explained.

Overchuk noted that energy prices will rise in Armenia if ties with the EAEU are curtailed.

In his words, “it is becoming increasingly obvious that membership in the EAEU is a privilege, and given the economic and social problems faced by the European Union, joining the EU can be compared to buying a ticket to the Titanic.”

Mediamax notes that Alexei Overchuk spoke about the incompatibility of the EU and the EAEU back in the summer of 2024.

“The benefits that a country receives from rapprochement with Russia should be perceived as the payment we give for our security and strategic depth. Therefore, the entry of some non-regional players there will of course have consequences,” the Russian deputy premier said then.

In December 2023, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that “the EAEU is an economic union that should not have a political and, even more so, geopolitical agenda.”

“We continue to perceive it as such and in this context develop cooperation within the framework of our economic cooperation, striving to prevent all attempts to politicize Eurasian integration. The EAEU and its economic principles should not be linked to political ambitions. The fundamental freedoms of trade and integration cannot and should not be restricted for political reasons, this will definitely lead to the corrosion of the fundamental principles of the Union,” Pashinyan said at the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

In early 2024, Pashinyan actually reiterated his statement, noting that “only by combining efforts, the EAEU member states will be able to create an even more sustainable model of economic cooperation for future generations, which will not depend on political or geopolitical shifts.”