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🇫🇷 France /Elections & Politics

Putin Warns Armenia Against EU Ties, Cites Ukraine Crisis

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Armenia against seeking closer ties with the EU, drawing parallels to the crisis in Ukraine.
  • Putin stated that Ukraine's "crisis" began with its attempts to join the EU, implying similar consequences for Armenia.
  • Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has recently pursued closer relations with Brussels and Washington, ahead of upcoming legislative elections.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning to Armenia, cautioning the nation against pursuing closer ties with the European Union. Speaking at the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Astana, Putin drew a direct parallel between Armenia's potential EU aspirations and the "crisis" in Ukraine, suggesting that Ukraine's troubles began with its attempts to join the EU.

the crisis in Ukraine began with its attempts to join the EU

— Vladimir PutinRussian President Vladimir Putin referencing the conflict in Ukraine to warn Armenia against EU accession.

Putin's remarks, made just a week before Armenia's legislative elections, aimed to influence the outcome by highlighting the perceived risks of an eastward shift. He reiterated this comparison during a press conference on May 10, proposing a referendum on Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union versus joining the EU. He recalled that Ukraine's move towards the EU ultimately led to a coup, the annexation of Crimea, conflict in eastern Ukraine, and military intervention.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is seeking re-election, has recently signaled a clear pivot towards the West, engaging in closer relations with Brussels and Washington. This shift includes the first EU-Armenia summit in early May 2025, aimed at elevating their partnership. Putin's warning appears to be an attempt to preemptively curb this pro-Western momentum.

All of this subsequently led to the coup, the Crimean incident, the situation in southeastern Ukraine, and the military intervention. So there is no need to go to extremes...

— Vladimir PutinRussian President Vladimir Putin detailing the perceived consequences of Ukraine's pro-Western stance.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko echoed Putin's concerns, advising Armenia to be cautious and avoid repeating Ukraine's experience. He emphasized that Armenia is emerging from a war and should not find itself in a critical situation due to such geopolitical realignments. Both leaders suggest that Armenia must choose its alliances carefully, implying that aligning with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union offers stability, while a move towards the EU carries significant risks.

The Armenians must be very careful not to repeat what happened in Ukraine.

— Alexander LukashenkoBelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warning Armenia about the potential consequences of a pro-Western orientation.
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Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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