MOSCOW — Russia said Wednesday that Armenia must promptly decide whether to remain in two post‑Soviet groupings, the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, against a backdrop of escalating strains between Moscow and Yerevan.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Armenia’s bid to join the European Union is incompatible with continued membership in the economic union that groups Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. He noted Armenia has fallen behind on membership fees, skipped joint CSTO events and stepped up military cooperation with NATO and EU states.
The comments follow Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s re‑election on Sunday and his government’s ongoing push toward EU integration. In 2024 Pashinyan froze Armenia’s participation in the Russian‑led CSTO, citing doubts about its security guarantees after Azerbaijan reclaimed Nagorno‑Karabakh. Moscow has accused Western powers of interfering in the vote, while imposing trade restrictions and threatening sanctions within the regional bloc as pressure over Yerevan’s EU ambitions increased.
A formal Armenian exit would weaken Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus and mark a significant shift in the country’s geopolitical orientation away from long‑standing reliance on Moscow.