Armenia’s parliament is expected to discuss a draft law on the country’s accession to the European Union in its February session, according to the TASS news agency. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier stated that the draft law would not automatically lead to Armenia’s EU membership, as a referendum would also be required for such a decision. The country’s foreign minister emphasized that the relations between Armenia and the EU have developed positively and dynamically over the past few years and the union has contributed to Armenia’s democratic development and economic stability.
However, the potential impact of Armenia’s EU membership on its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) remains disputed. Moscow previously stated that an EU membership would mark the beginning of a possible exit from the EEU, as the country could not be a member of both organizations at the same time. Armenian government officials, however, rejected this statement, stressing that Armenia has no intention of withdrawing from the EEU.
In a speech on foreign policy, Pashinyan this week emphasized that his country is pursuing a balanced foreign policy. Armenia does not maintain international relations at the expense of another partner, but rather seeks to maintain a balance. He referred to recent diplomatic visits, including the visit of the Armenian foreign minister to Russia and the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with the United States.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in early January and had previously traveled to Washington to sign a charter on strategic partnership with the then-US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The agreement, among other things, provides for the deployment of US security personnel in Armenia to strengthen bilateral security relations.
Meanwhile, Armenia’s participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) remains uncertain. Despite the recent statement by the Armenian intelligence agency that the conditions for Armenia’s full-fledged membership in the CSTO in 2025 are unlikely to be met, a source within the organization stated that Armenia is still considered a partner and the cooperation will continue. Last year, Pashinyan had stated that Armenia had frozen its membership due to the organization being seen as a threat to the country’s sovereignty.