Armenia Threatens to Leave the CSTO and the EAEU
Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan suggested the country could leave the pro-Russian CSTO and EAEU alliances if Russia raises gas prices. However, he expressed hope that this would not come to pass, noting the productive dialogue between the countries' leaders.
Recently, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated Yerevan's de facto non-participation in the CSTO, citing the organization's inaction in the Karabakh conflict. The Russian leader responded by declaring it improper to interfere in the situation after Armenia's recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.
Armenia's rapprochement with the EU has already had a noticeable impact on bilateral trade with Russia. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, Yerevan's talk of seeking EU membership has resulted in a loss of $5.1 billion in trade turnover. He noted that Russian entrepreneurs have become less willing to trade with Armenia. By the end of 2024, mutual trade between Russia and Armenia amounted to $11.5 billion, but by 2025, according to preliminary data, it will have decreased to approximately $6.4 billion.
