Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with Radio France Internationale that Armenia’s possible accession to the European Union depends not only on Yerevan’s intentions but also on whether the EU itself is prepared to expand. He noted that there are still differing views within the bloc on that question.
Pashinyan said Armenia’s strategic objective is to create alternatives. According to him, the country has long operated in an external environment with limited major options, and it is now trying to broaden that room for choice.
He said Armenia will continue reforms aimed at aligning the Republic of Armenia with EU standards whether it remains in the Eurasian Economic Union, eventually joins the EU, or belongs to neither bloc. Even if Armenia fully meets the criteria for EU membership at some point, he added, two questions would still remain: whether the EU would be willing to admit the country and whether the people of Armenia would vote in favor of that path.
Pashinyan also said Armenia’s cooperation with the European Union has a long track record. He recalled that the two sides signed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2016 to bring Armenian and European systems closer together and introduce European standards. He said relations with the EU continued to deepen after 2018.
The prime minister added that in 2025 a law was adopted to launch the process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union, following a citizens’ initiative. In March 2025, Armenia’s National Assembly approved that law while the country was still a member of the Eurasian Economic Union.
At the EAEU summit in Astana on May 29, the leaders of the member states said in a joint statement that Armenia should clarify its position on further integration as soon as possible. After the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that leaving the EAEU could cost Armenia about 14% of its gross domestic product.
