A Moscow-controlled economic alliance of former Soviet nations announced Friday it may suspend Armenia’s membership over the country’s efforts to join the European Union, demanding Yerevan hold a public vote on its future direction.
The Eurasian Economic Union made the threat following a summit meeting in Astana, where leaders from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan expressed concern that Armenia’s westward shift threatens the bloc’s financial stability.
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan skipped the gathering, citing his active campaigning for parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7. Pashinyan has been steering his nation toward closer relationships with Europe and America while publicly criticizing Moscow’s policies.
The four attending nations stated that Armenia’s western integration creates “significant risks to the economic security” of their union and announced plans to review the country’s membership status during their December meeting.
The economic bloc, established in 2015, also demanded Armenia conduct a nationwide referendum on EU membership that includes an option to remain within the Russian-led organization.
Moscow has been increasing economic pressure on Armenia in recent weeks, implementing temporary bans on agricultural products and threatening to cut off supplies of discounted oil and natural gas that the South Caucasus nation depends on heavily.
The upcoming election features Pashinyan, who advocates stronger EU and U.S. connections, competing against multiple opposition parties that generally favor Russian alignment. Polling data indicates Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party leads with approximately 30% voter support.
Russian officials have consistently maintained that EAEU membership cannot coexist with EU aspirations. Armenia enacted legislation last year formally beginning its European Union accession procedures.
Losing EAEU membership would create immediate economic disruption for Armenia’s 3 million residents. The nation’s per-capita economic output measured roughly half of Russia’s level in 2024, based on World Bank figures.
Trade statistics from Armenian government sources show Russia represented about 35% of the country’s international commerce last year, while EU nations accounted for approximately 11%. Armenia also imported 82% of its natural gas from Russia during the same period.
