— Russo - Armenian Relations
— Russo - Armenian Relations
Putin warns Armenia it can’t be both a member of EU and Russia-led economic bloc
PART 1:This week, a meeting was held in Moscow that, at first glance, seems routine – a conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
However, behind the official formulations about cooperation and relations, the messages exchanged carry much more weight than one might conclude from the protocol.
During the conversation, Putin himself recalled what he calls the “special relations” between the two countries. He emphasized their shared history, cooperation in solving common tasks, and even, as he put it, “civilizational closeness.”
He also emphasized that Russia will always support what is in the interest of the Armenian people. However, in the very next breath, the tone becomes more specific, almost technical – and this is where the essence of the message begins.
As he explained, the issue of Armenia’s relations with the European Union is not viewed through a political prism, but through economic reality. According to him, it is not possible to be part of the customs space of the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union at the same time.
The differences, he says, are fundamental – from the valuation of goods to phytosanitary standards for agricultural products. These, he emphasizes, are processes that require years of harmonization and cannot be conducted in parallel.
In the same context, Putin also recalled the energy dimension of the relationship. He cited specific figures: in Europe, the price of gas exceeds $600 per 1,000 cubic meters, while Russia sells gas to Armenia at a price of $177.5 for the same volume.
The difference, as he briefly noted, is “significant and obvious.”
“It will not be possible to sit on more chairs,” says Russian political analyst Danilin, adding that Moscow will not allow its customs area to become, as he put it, “a window for counter-facts.”
He particularly emphasizes the economic side of the relationship, arguing that the loss of preferential gas prices and access to the Russian market for Armenia would be not only a serious, but practically a decisive blow.
In this context, he recalls the experience of Ukraine during the time of Viktor Yanukovych, when, as he says, the political decision to abandon the European association was motivated by economic calculations.
Danilin claims that subsequent developments have proven to be confirmation of these assessments, stating that after the change of government, Ukraine became the poorest country in Europe, even poorer than Moldova.
In his interpretation, Armenia now has an example that should not be ignored. “Politics did not outdo economics,” he says, warning that ignoring objective factors could lead to serious consequences.
Source: Telegram "CyberspecNews"