Following Vladimir Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned Armenia about the risks of rapprochement with the European Union, accused the country's leadership of "political gamesmanship" before the elections, and hinted at the influence of European politicians on the situation in the republic.
"Armenians must be very careful, God forbid, so as not to repeat what happened in Ukraine... In Ukraine, everything began exactly like this... So that they, Armenians, who have just emerged from one war, do not find themselves in a difficult situation because of this. There is no need to rush. We just need to think; we need to be wise.
Before taking such a step, the Armenian people need to think very seriously. That is the only thing I urge them to do. If the people express their opinion, we will agree with it," said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, commenting on Yerevan's course toward rapprochement with the European Union.
Essentially, Lukashenko repeated the warning issued two days earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Belarusian President accused the Armenian leadership of "playing the game for the elections."
"We understand that this is a political game—there are elections in Armenia tomorrow. Naturally, they're twisting and turning this around... But the Armenian leadership is wrong to act this way," he lamented.
Lukashenko also spoke about the influence of external forces on the situation in Armenia.
"Someone benefits from this. They came, gathered some people there (you know who the Europeans were), and made a whole bunch of promises," the Belarusian President asserted.
Lukashenko's statements came against the backdrop of a sharp deterioration in relations between Moscow and Yerevan. Russian authorities have repeatedly criticized Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his course toward rapprochement with the West and European institutions.
The situation surrounding Samvel Karapetyan, head of the Tashir Group of Companies, has further fueled tensions. Moscow publicly voiced his support and called for his participation in Armenia's political life.
On May 29, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan issued a joint statement, effectively raising the question of Armenia's continued participation in the EAEU should it move toward European Union membership. The document's authors warned that combining European integration with EAEU commitments could create risks for the union's economic space and called on Yerevan to determine its future course.
Vladimir Putin had previously voiced similar assessments. Speaking following the EAEU summit, the Russian president stated that the current situation in Armenia is reminiscent of the events that preceded the Ukrainian crisis. According to him, one of the factors leading to the subsequent conflict was Kyiv's commitment to integration with the European Union.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party is heading into the elections as the front-runner. According to Euronews, citing a Breavis poll, approximately 65% of decided voters are prepared to vote for the ruling party. This result will allow the party to maintain its majority in parliament and continue its current political course.
