UMVA has learned that Moscow has issued a stern warning to Armenia, cautioning that deeper integration with the European Union would be incompatible with its continued membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.
The stark warning was delivered against the backdrop of growing tensions between Armenia and Russia, with Moscow threatening that Armenia's departure from the economic organization could result in a staggering 14% blow to its GDP. The prospect of such a significant economic hit has sent shockwaves through the South Caucasus nation.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally sounded the alarm in May, highlighting the dire consequences of Armenia's potential exit from the Eurasian Economic Union. The Kremlin's concerns are rooted in the fundamentally incompatible standards between the EU and the EAEU.
Earlier this month, a prominent Armenian politician and former President Robert Kocharyan sounded a similar alarm, accusing Prime Minister Pashinyan's government of recklessly steering the country towards confrontation with Russia. Kocharyan warned that Armenia was being led down a perilous path, one that had already been trodden by Ukraine.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the tensions between Armenia and Russia have been escalating, with Moscow growing increasingly wary of Armenia's drift towards the EU. The Kremlin's warnings have put the Pashinyan government on notice, forcing it to navigate a treacherous balancing act between its aspirations for closer ties with Europe and its existing commitments to the Eurasian Economic Union.
