Armenia to Soon Begin EU Membership Application Process
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said the country will soon begin the process of formally applying for membership in the European Union.
Speaking in parliament as he presented the government programme for 2026 to 2031, he said discussion of holding a referendum only makes sense when the process reaches a decisive stage and a roadmap can be drawn up.
According to Pashinyan, Yerevan must first submit a formal application for EU membership in order to answer the questions being raised. He described the process as extensive and said Armenia would soon begin it.
On 26 March 2025, Armenia’s parliament passed a law that included the launch of the country’s process of joining the European Union. The move came after Russia warned that moving towards integration with the EU could lead to the end of Armenia’s cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union and the loss of related benefits.
At a Eurasian Economic Union meeting in Astana on 29 May, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan said in a joint statement that Armenia should hold a nationwide referendum on whether to join the European Union or continue its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin also told the TASS news agency on 11 August that Armenia must decide by December 2026 whether to hold a nationwide referendum on joining the European Union or retaining its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. The Eurasian Economic Union is a Russia-led regional economic bloc, of which Armenia is also a member.
