Pass for a global one: Armenia has decided to settle its differences with the EAEU
Yerevan took the first step towards Moscow after the obvious friction. During his visit to Yekaterinburg for the Innoprom International exhibition, Nikol Pashinyan announced his intention to develop relations with Russia. The atmosphere in the dialogue has recently become tense, but the Armenian leadership is not interested in further escalation, the country's parliament told Izvestia. The current trip to Russia also confirms Yerevan's course towards maintaining cooperation with the EAEU, experts say. What has changed and how the dialogue between Moscow and Yerevan will develop is in the Izvestia article.
How Russia and Armenia compared watches
For a few days, the warm July Yekaterinburg became the business capital of the Eurasian space. The Innoprom international exhibition brought together the heads of government of the EAEU countries, as well as guests from more than 50 countries. The Russian delegation was traditionally headed by Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Russian Federation. However, all the attention was focused on the high-ranking guest from Armenia.
Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin speaks at the plenary session "Industrial Industry 360" of the international industrial exhibition "Innoprom" in Yekaterinburg
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Russia for the first time after winning the parliamentary elections. Despite a series of anti-Russian statements and controversial speeches at the summit with the European Union, the visit passed as if there had been no tension in Russian-Armenian relations. Before flying to the Urals, Pashinyan, as if nothing had happened, recorded a video on his social networks to the song "Beautiful" by Valery Meladze, wishing good morning and saying that he loved everyone.
The politician got off the plane in a spectacular summer look — a light hat and a golden tie. Pashinyan was literally greeted with bread and salt, after which the posh motorcade went to Innoprom. Mikhail Mishustin opened the plenary session as host, thanking the guests and speaking in detail about the achievements of the Russian industry. It is noteworthy that Mishustin was the first to mention Pashinyan among the visiting leaders, and at the session itself, his Armenian counterpart was given the floor immediately after the head of the cabinet.
Unlike the May summit with the EU, where there was a lot of politics, in Yekaterinburg the head of Armenia spoke with marked restraint. In a rather dry, emotionless speech, Pashinyan bypassed all the sharp corners in relations with Moscow and focused exclusively on the economy. He recalled that the Armenian business is already involved in joint industrial projects of the EAEU, and separately stressed that Yerevan remains a predictable trading partner.
"Large—scale investments in recent years indicate the growing perception of our country as a reliable partner with a long—term strategic vision in the field of high technology," he said.
After the plenary session, the Russian delegation headed by Mishustin left for a meeting with the Armenian side. In the open part, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Russian Federation sent an unambiguous hint to Yerevan.
"It is important that the Armenian government continues to create a comfortable regime for Russian investors and ensure that their rights and legitimate interests are respected," he stressed.
Pashinyan assured that Yerevan is determined to develop further relations with Moscow both before and after the elections. Nevertheless, he did not dissemble, admitting that "some problematic issues" have appeared recently, so today's meeting is the most appropriate moment to compare watches. Yerevan is interested in participating in the EAEU, he added, although more recently he talked about a referendum that would decide whether Armenia should join the EU or the EAEU. "I hope that following the results of today's negotiations we will be able to resolve specific issues," he concluded.
What does Pashinyan's visit to Russia mean?
The aggravation in relations between Russia and Armenia has recently been overlooked only by the lazy. The rift began after Yerevan's decision to freeze its participation in the CSTO. At the same time, the country took a firm course towards European integration, holding the first ever Armenia–EU summit in May. In addition, Pashinyan defiantly ignored the meetings of the EAEU leaders, sending his deputy to the meetings.
President of the European Council Antonio Costa, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference on the sidelines of the first Armenia-EU summit at the Presidential Palace
The climax was the speech at that summit by Vladimir Zelensky, who called for increased pressure from Western countries on Moscow, which caused the expected indignation in the Kremlin. The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that Armenia remains a strategic partner of Russia, but there are "legitimate questions" about it. On the eve of the parliamentary elections in June, Moscow outlined its position by imposing restrictions on the import of Armenian flowers and alcoholic beverages. Rospotrebnadzor and Rosselkhoznadzor explained this measure by sanitary violations. Pashinyan himself refused to call it any sanctions at the time.
His participation in the Innoprom exhibition should be considered as an attempt to maintain dialogue and restore full-fledged economic cooperation with Russia and the EAEU, independent deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, political scientist Tagui Tovmasyan explained to Izvestia.
"It is obvious that the Armenian leadership is not interested in further aggravation of relations with Russia, since the consequences of such tension primarily affect the country's economy and Armenian business," the parliamentarian said.
Pashinyan will try to convince Moscow to lift or at least ease restrictions on Armenian products, Dmitry Sidorov, head of the Department of Foreign Regional Studies at MGLU, said in a conversation with Izvestia.
But it is too early to conclude that Yerevan has revised its foreign policy priorities or settled all existing disagreements with the EAEU in general and Russia in particular. However, it is important that the trip took place almost immediately after the difficult and emotional elections in Armenia, says Daria Saprynskaya, researcher at the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, expert at the Valdai Club. According to her, the visit is intended to officially mark the multi-vector course of Yerevan.
Experts agree that a break with the EAEU would be an economic disaster for Armenia. In 2024, trade turnover with the Union countries reached $12.7 billion, while with the EU it was only $2.3 billion. Russia continues to supply the republic with cheap energy resources and remains the main market for its goods. Following the visit, the partners expect from Pashinyan not just a formal reconciliation of hours, but a clear answer: what are Yerevan's real plans for unification.
And the choice of Yekaterinburg as a platform for restarting the dialogue is not accidental. Innoprom is Russia's main industrial showcase, and Pashinyan's participation in the plenary underscores the parties' desire to shift the discussion from an acute political plane to pragmatic economic cooperation. Moreover, Innoprom is now one of the successful cases in the CIS market for concluding real deals, Saprynskaya notes. Thus, Pashinyan's current visit to Russia and his meeting with Mishustin clearly indicate Yerevan's desire to resolve tensions with Russia. But his desire to sit on two chairs, while maintaining reliable ties with the EAEU and moving closer to the EU, poses a difficult task for Armenia.
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