Political analyst points out the risks for Armenia in case of joining the European Union

Armenia is not welcome in the European Union (EU), and the country itself does not need integration into the bloc. This opinion was shared with Izvestia on February 12 by Alexander Konkov, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.

Earlier in the day, the Armenian parliament adopted the draft on the EU accession process in the first reading. The European Commission (EC) told Izvestia the previous day that the process of Yerevan's rapprochement with the EU is gaining momentum, but it has not yet submitted an official application to join the association.

"Those discussions that have unfolded around Armenia's potential EU membership are somewhat discouraging. I think they also discourage the Armenian society itself, which has not thought about it for a long time and has always realized the futility and unnecessary nature of such an initiative," Konkov commented.

He added that the EU is also surprised by the statements on Armenia's European integration, as the issue has not been raised for discussion by all the members of the association. Besides, misunderstanding also arises among Yerevan's allies in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), because everyone realizes that it is impossible to work on two platforms at the same time.

"I think that no one is waiting for Armenia in the EAEU. However, if some process is launched, it means there are some signals from European capitals. They have a mentor character, for sure it is French President Emmanuel Macron, acting voluntaristically and trying to mark Paris' positions in geopolitical regions that are absolutely far from it," the expert added.

According to him, Macron needs it to show France's importance not before Armenia, but before other Western leaders. At the same time, the interlocutor of the publication believes that Armenia is a distinctive state that "will not dance to the European tune" and fully accept the agenda announced by Brussels, in particular about non-traditional values.

"Armenia gets a huge advantage from participation in the EAEU, from interaction with EAEU partners. In case of transition to some abstract idea of joining the European Union, Armenia will lose all this. It will lose, in fact, a bird in the hand waiting for some crane in the sky, which will turn out not to be a crane at all," the political analyst concluded.

Armenia's prospects of joining the EU are extremely weak. And here's why

On January 9, the Armenian government approved a draft law on the beginning of the process of the state's accession to the European Union. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said then that the relations between the country and the association have been developing "intensively and dynamically" in recent years.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, in turn, told Izvestia that Russia considers Armenia's simultaneous membership in the EU and the EAEU impossible. According to him, Yerevan will have to make a choice in time.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on February 12 that Armenia has a sovereign right to European integration.