YEREVAN, August 7. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called on the EAEU not to undermine Armenia's pursuit of alternatives.
"Our goal is to create alternatives for the Republic of Armenia. This is a legitimate right of any country; all countries work to have alternatives. At this moment, the best position for the EAEU would be not to undermine this process but rather to work on increasing the competitiveness and attractiveness of the EAEU. This is the right approach, and Armenia is ready to work on this," Pashinyan stated on Friday in a conversation with representatives of Russian media in Kyrgyzstan.
Commenting on the choice between the EAEU and the EU, Pashinyan noted that a choice must first be created.
"A very interesting nuance is that our colleagues in the EAEU support the idea of holding a referendum on Armenia's accession to the European Union, and I highly appreciate such a position. The referendum will certainly take place, but only after Armenia officially applies to the European Union for membership and we need to work institutionally on this," Pashinyan said.
The Prime Minister emphasized that it is currently impossible to hold a referendum, as there is no subject for this referendum.
"There are many questions to which we have no answers; no one has them. What is happening in the EAEU space currently only provokes a negative perception of the EAEU in Armenia. This refers to the restrictions that our esteemed Russian colleagues have imposed on Armenian goods," Pashinyan noted.
Armenia and the EU
In March 2025, the Armenian parliament adopted a law to begin the process of the country's accession to the European Union. The document expresses the republic's intention to move towards the EU, but does not itself mean an official application for membership.
In December 2025, Armenia and the European Union approved a new strategic partnership agenda, which provides for the expansion of cooperation in political, economic, and sectoral areas.
In May 2026, the first Armenia-EU summit took place. In joint documents, the European Union confirmed support for the right of Armenian citizens to independently and democratically determine the future of their country.
At the end of July, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated regarding the possibility of a referendum on Armenia's European integration that there is currently no subject for such voting.
