Armenia has to make choice - Mikhail Galuzin 

ArmInfo. Russia has no and cannot have plans to infringe on Armenia's interests in any way. This was stated in an interview with Izvestia by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin.

"We are not talking about Russia or anyone else wanting to exclude  Armenia or cause damage in the context of our very developed economic  cooperation. Our trade turnover last year amounted to about $12  billion, demonstrating significant growth. We have no and cannot have  plans to infringe on Armenia's interests in any way. It is our ally,  a strategic partner, with whom we are connected, just as with  Georgia, by a centuries-old common history, a common victory in the  Great Patriotic War, the 80th anniversary of which we will, I hope,  celebrate together on May 9," the diplomat said.

According to Galuzin, objectively, simultaneous membership in the EU  and the EAEU is impossible, since these unions have different customs  and tariff regulations, and these are essentially different economic  blocs. The Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry added that,  accordingly, the Armenian colleagues will probably have to decide at  some stage in which direction they are going: towards integration  into the European Union or continued participation in Eurasian  integration through the EAEU.

"This participation gives obvious benefits to the population of  Armenia. And this is expressed, first of all, in very significant  figures of Armenia's GDP growth. In the last year, it is about 6%. On  the other hand, what is the European Union at this stage for Armenia  and other countries? It is a set of requirements, criteria with vague  prospects for accession. If Armenia follows the path of the European  choice, this will objectively entail a revision of the established  economic relations that Yerevan currently has with its partners along  the EAEU line. This will probably be a rather painful process,  including, unfortunately, for the population of Armenia. It is  logical to assume that the country's leadership will explain to its  population what it can lose by leaving the EAEU, and what it can  really gain from membership in the European Union," he added.

At the same time, the Russian diplomat believes that these are mostly  ephemeral ideologies, and not real economic cooperation. "Even today,  Armenia's trade turnover with each of the EU countries is several  times lower than with Russia. Not to mention that the EU is openly  pursuing a hostile policy towards Russia, a key economic partner and  strategic ally of Armenia. It consists of an already obsessive, manic  desire to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia and weaken our  country, to block any actions aimed at a political and diplomatic  settlement of the crisis in Ukraine, to achieve peace, in attempts to  drive a wedge in relations between Russia and its strategic partners  and allies in the CIS, EAEU, and CSTO.

I hope that official Yerevan sees this situation and evaluates it  accordingly. So far, Armenia has not withdrawn from any structures of  the Eurasian Economic Union. We highly appreciate its successful  chairmanship of the EAEU last year, 2024, so our cooperation  continues. Representatives of the country also actively participate  in all events of the CIS bodies, in all expert meetings," concluded  Galuzin.

On January 9, the Armenian government approved the draft law on the  beginning of the process of joining the European Union, proposed by  the civil initiative "Eurakve". The draft passed both readings in the  country's parliament in February-March and has already been signed by  President Vahagn Khachaturyan.  The country's authorities have not  yet announced what further steps will be.