Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan assured that Yerevan has no plans to sever relations with Russia and called for avoiding unnecessary dramatization of the disagreements arising between the countries.
"Our goal is not a 'divorce' from the Russian Federation; we are not dividing the children," Simonyan emphasized in a conversation with journalists.
He also commented on statements by Russian officials regarding Moscow's importance to Armenia.
"If they don't need us, then why are they interfering so actively? They argue that more Armenians live in Russia than in Armenia, and that Armenia wouldn't have been a state without Russia," the speaker of parliament noted.
Simonyan called the current disagreements between Moscow and Yerevan part of a natural political process.
"This is politics, not a marriage, where we need to negotiate guardianship." "We are not seeking to collect alimony and are not raising the issue of dividing the children," Simonyan added.
Earlier, on May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed the opinion that Armenia's intention to join the European Union requires close scrutiny. He stated that Yerevan needs to decide on its development vector—either EU membership or continued participation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). He proposed considering holding a referendum to determine the will of the Armenian people.
"It's none of our business, but it would be logical to hold a referendum and ask Armenian citizens what choice they would make. Based on this, we would make appropriate decisions and choose the path of a gentle, intelligent, and mutually beneficial divorce," Putin stated.
Following this, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced his non-attendance at the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit scheduled for May 28-29 in Astana. The Armenian leader also noted that there is currently no pressing need to hold a referendum on Armenia's membership in the EU or the EAEU.
As a reminder, the eighth European Political Community summit was held in Yerevan on May 4, bringing together representatives from approximately 50 countries. Concurrently, on May 4-5, the first Armenia-EU summit was held in the Armenian capital, with the participation of European Union leaders.
