CHOLPON-ATA /Kyrgyzstan/, August 7. /TASS/. Armenia has no legal, economic, or political obligations to the European Union that conflict with the status of the republic’s relations within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the extended meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan.

Pashinyan thanked his EAEU colleagues for recognizing Armenia’s legitimate right to develop relations with various partners and create trade and economic alternatives for the country. In his view, this approach benefits the EAEU as the existence of potential alternatives is a factor that will help boost the Union’s competitiveness and attractiveness.

"I must note that the current relations between Armenia and the European Union entail no legal, economic, or political obligations that conflict with our status within the EAEU," he said, adding that "Armenia proceeds from the premise that the Eurasian Economic Union should not be viewed as a zone of restrictions." "We are convinced that cooperation between EAEU member states and third-party partners should not be perceived as a zero-sum game," the premier noted.

Yerevan has recently declared a course toward integration with the European Union. On March 26, 2025, the Armenian parliament adopted a law initiating the process of the republic’s accession to the EU. That said, Pashinyan has asserted that Yerevan does not intend to withdraw from the EAEU, expecting to combine membership in the organization with integration into the EU for as long as possible. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that integration into the EU automatically entails the termination of Armenia’s cooperation with the EAEU and the loss of all associated preferences from which Yerevan had benefited throughout its time in the Eurasian Economic Union.

At the EAEU summit held in Astana on May 29, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan adopted a joint statement noting their shared view on the need to hold a nationwide referendum in Armenia regarding EU accession or continued membership in the EAEU.