Armenia paid $5bln for mere talks about Armenia drawing closer to EU

ArmInfo.  When the discussion about Armenia's closer relations with the European Union  intensified last year, Russian business began to be cautious about  building trade ties with Armenia. This was stated by Russian Deputy  Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk in an interview with TASS.

"I said then that this would not affect our bilateral trade," he  noted.

In this vein, the Deputy Prime Minister drew attention to the fact  that last year, bilateral trade with Armenia amounted to $12.4  billion, while this year it will only be possible to exceed the  figure of $6 billion.

"That is, the cost of these conversations alone for Armenia's trade  turnover amounted to $6 billion. If things continue like this, then a  decision will have to be made: to re-evaluate our economic policy  towards this country. It is Armenia's right to decide where it should  be. But they also understand that then the tariff regime for them  will be different, then we will not have free movement of goods  between our countries and there will be no duty-free trade. This can  hit the producers of goods in Armenia quite hard, especially  agricultural producers, because the market features are such that  their products are in demand in Russia," explained Overchuk.

He noted that if Armenia ever joins the EU, and the Russian  Federation maintains the same relations with the EU as now, then  questions will arise with the implementation of air transportation.  Recalling that the EU skies are closed to Russian aircraft, the  Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that this means that the skies of  Armenia will also be closed to Russian aircraft, and the Russian  skies to Armenian ones.

In addition, as the Deputy Head of the Russian Government noted, the  country will also lose the benefits of the free trade zone with its  closest neighbor Iran.

"There may be many consequences, they need to be understood and  assessed. This is a very bad scenario, first of all for ordinary  people, we do not want it and therefore we speak openly about it. Of  course, Armenia will get something from the EU. Some new markets will  open for it, some new routes will appear.  They will have to weigh it  all, look at the balance. In the end, the people of Armenia will  decide. It is their choice," he noted.

According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia,  the foreign trade turnover of Armenia and Russia in January-July 2025  decreased by 65.1%, amounting to about $4 billion. At the same time,  exports decreased by 5.6% to $1.6 billion, against the background of  a decline in imports by 63.9% to $2.4 billion