Putin: Armenia’s simultaneous membership in European and Eurasian customs unions “impossible”

Putin: Russia Armenia trade reaches $6.4 billion.. Yerevan’s membership in both European and Eurasian unions “impossible”

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that combining membership in the European Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is “impossible in principle,” emphasizing that the issue is “purely economic.”

The statement came during his reception of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Kremlin, where Putin affirmed that relations between the two countries are special and formed over centuries, noting that over two million Armenians reside in Russia.

Putin added that Russia understands Yerevan’s efforts to draw closer to Brussels, but stressed that such steps must be “clear, transparent, and publicly announced.” He noted that internal political tensions in Armenia ahead of elections should not negatively affect bilateral relations, affirming that the path of strengthening ties will continue.

On the economic front, Putin revealed that trade between the two countries reached $6.4 billion in 2025, while Armenian exports to Eurasian Economic Union member states increased about tenfold in recent years. He highlighted the significant gap between Russian gas prices for Armenia ($177.5 per 1,000 cubic meters) and European prices, which have exceeded $600, stressing that this benefits the Armenian economy.

For his part, Pashinyan affirmed that relations with Russia are “deep and very important” for Armenia, noting they are developing dynamically amid new regional changes, particularly following the establishment of peace with Azerbaijan. The Armenian Prime Minister revealed that his country is holding talks with Moscow on building a new nuclear power plant, expressing hope that Armenia could soon export its goods to Russia through Azerbaijan for the first time since independence.

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