EAEU leaders call for referendum on Armenia’s geopolitical direction

(Horizon Media / YEREVAN) – The heads of state of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan have urged Armenia to organize a national referendum to determine whether the country intends to pursue European Union membership or remain part of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

The appeal was included in a joint statement issued at the EAEU summit in Astana, where the four leaders argued that such a strategic choice should be decided directly by the Armenian public. They also instructed EAEU institutions to prepare an assessment by December on the implications that a possible suspension of Armenia’s participation in the bloc could have for the union.

The statement highlighted concerns among EAEU members over Armenia’s growing engagement with the European Union, stressing the importance of protecting the bloc from any adverse consequences stemming from Yerevan’s European integration efforts.

The issue was discussed in the absence of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who skipped the summit due to campaign commitments ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections. Pashinyan has previously maintained that Armenia cannot simultaneously be integrated into both the EU and the EAEU, while also insisting that a future withdrawal from the Eurasian bloc would not necessarily require a referendum.