«The crisis in Ukraine started with this». Putin in Astana hinted at future problems in Armenia
In case of a possible withdrawal of Armenia from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and its transition to European Union standards, Moscow will be forced to curtail joint work with Yerevan in the economic sphere related to integration processes, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a press conference following the EAEU summit in Astana.
Vladimir Putin in Astana with his press secretary Dmitry Peskov. Photo: Sergei Bobylev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
Putin spoke about a conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding the country's political course.
«I told Nikol Vovaevich: «Everything that is good for Armenians is acceptable and good for Russia. Do as you see fit based on the interests of the Armenian people. You are currently in power; the responsibility for making decisions lies with you. What you say – that's how it will be,» — said Putin.
Allegedly, whatever decisions Armenia makes regarding its continued membership in the EAEU, this will not spoil its humanitarian and political ties with Russia.
«But in this case, we are talking about purely economic substances. Everything needs to be calculated, carefully reviewed, and a decision made. I have already mentioned this; the crisis in Ukraine once began with attempts to join the EU. We were not against it,» — the Russian president hinted at the consequences.
At the same time, he noted that Moscow paid attention to the difference in phytosanitary norms and technical standards between the EAEU and Europe. As is known, alleged non-compliance with these norms is widely practiced by Russia when conducting trade wars with disobedient neighbors. In recent days, it has become known that many traditional Armenian export products to Russia allegedly simultaneously stopped complying with norms: flowers, fruits, wines, cognac, and more.
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