Armenia announces historic intention to apply for EU membership

Armenia’s Pashinyan laid out Yerevan's decision to formally apply for EU membership “in the near future” and to call for a national referendum, challenging Russia’s regional influence and setting the stage for a historic geopolitical shift. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the country’s lawmakers on Monday that Armenia would begin preparing to apply for EU membership, in a historic geopolitical shift for a country formerly in Russia’s orbit and for the South Caucasus as a whole. In a speech to parliament and the nation, Pashinyan said Armenia would decide its future through a referendum only after formally applying to join the EU, with a timeframe he described as “in the near future”. In a calculated set of political moves, the Armenian premier said his government would wait for Brussels' answer to its application, then discuss the roadmap for EU accession negotiations, and only then put EU membership to a national referendum. Currently a member of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), Armenia was given an ultimatum a few months ago from alliance members to choose between continuing its membership or taking its own path toward the EU through a national referendum. At the time, Pashinyan said it was premature to make such a decision, in the midst of a massive Russian onslaught of economic restrictions on the former Soviet state for daring to move out of its influence, with Russian president Vladimir Putin threatening Yerevan directly with a “Ukrainian scenario,” as EU and CSTO membership would be incompatible in the Kremlin’s view. But in his groundbreaking speech on Monday, Pashinyan said, “I would be very glad if the organisation decided to remove the Republic of Armenia from the Collective Security Treaty Organisation,” adding that “at least that would free us from the dilemma of whether or not to leave.” However, Pashinyan made it clear that Armenia would remain in the CSTO for the time being, until the choice between the Russia-led alliance and the EU “becomes unavoidable”. "For two centuries, Armenian-Russian relations have been built on the foundation and understanding that Russia is the guarantor of the security of the Armenian people and the Armenian state,” Pashinyan said, describing the current trajectory of his view on Russia’s role in Armenia’s future. “The developments of 2021, 2022 and 2023 showed that, due to its own security challenges, the Russian Federation can at times face significant limitations in its ability to perform this role,” he added in reference to Armenia’s wars with Azerbaijan over Karabakh, which since then ended with a historic peace process between the two former rivals. “This is where we once again came face to face with the fact that we have failed to learn the lessons of our history," the Armenian prime minister said of his vision of Russia’s role in Armenia’s future — a statement which he has repeated several times, pointing at the Kremlin for giving up on Armenia during its last confrontation with Azerbaijan. After signing the peace process in August 2025, Armenia and Azerbaijan embarked on a future of economic cooperation and stability that the two former foes are forging ahead together on their own, with significant EU and US participation. Armenia’s economy still relies on Russian energy and infrastructure, but in another surprise move on Monday, Pashinyan asked Moscow to give up its monopoly concession of Armenian railways which runs until 2038 so that Yerevan can integrate its rail into international networks, with either Kazakhstan or the UAE as possible investors. Russia responded swiftly to Pashinyan’s historic statements, with the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announcing that Armenia’s departure from the CSTO may trigger what he called “deep trade contradictions that will primarily harm Armenia.” “If Yerevan no longer needs membership in such an important organization for ensuring regional security due to its national interests, it is free to make the corresponding decision and leave this organisation,” Peskov said, signalling that the Kremlin was setting the stage for a turbulent path ahead with its former ally.