Pashinyan Removed From Speakers List at Russian Industry Forum as Armenia-Russia Tensions Continue

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been dropped from the list of speakers at Russia’s INNOPROM International Industrial Exhibition, despite earlier plans for him to address the high-profile event in Yekaterinburg.

The Armenian government previously announced that Pashinyan would travel to Russia for the July 6-9 exhibition. Until recently, the event’s official program listed him among the featured speakers. His name has since been removed from the schedule, although there has been no announcement that he has canceled his trip.

The annual exhibition is expected to bring together Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, the prime ministers of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and Indonesia’s minister of industry, whose country is this year’s official partner.

The change comes as relations between Yerevan and Moscow remain under strain following Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections and months of growing economic pressure from Russia.

Earlier this week, Pashinyan held a phone call with Mishustin at his own initiative. According to the Armenian government, the two leaders discussed bilateral trade and economic cooperation, though no further details were released.

Since the election campaign, Russia has steadily tightened restrictions on Armenian exports. In late April, Russia’s consumer protection agency, Rospotrebnadzor, suspended imports of Jermuk mineral water after citing quality concerns. Similar restrictions were later imposed on Armenian fruits and vegetables, flowers, alcoholic beverages and other products.

Many political analysts view the measures as part of broader pressure on Armenia rather than routine trade enforcement. Moscow has denied any political motive, but the restrictions coincided with Armenia’s parliamentary campaign and intensified as the country moved closer to the vote.

Russian officials also used the campaign period to warn Armenia about the possible consequences of deepening ties with the European Union. They cautioned that leaving the Russian-led economic sphere could trigger a sharp economic downturn, higher energy prices and increased uncertainty over critical infrastructure.

Relations deteriorated further after Armenia hosted the European Political Community Summit and the first-ever Armenia-European Union Summit in May. The meetings underscored Yerevan’s expanding cooperation with Europe and drew visible criticism from Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also attended the European Political Community gathering in Yerevan, where he warned that Ukrainian drones could fly over Moscow during Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9.

Armenia took another symbolic step toward Europe in March 2025, when lawmakers approved legislation launching the country’s EU accession process. While the law does not guarantee membership, it formally established European integration as a strategic objective.

Even so, Russia remains Armenia’s largest economic partner. According to Armenia’s Statistical Committee, exports to Russia accounted for 36.3% of the country’s total exports in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 14.1% for the European Union. Trade with Russia has expanded significantly since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.

On May 29, four members of the Eurasian Economic Union urged Armenia to decide whether it intends to pursue membership in the European Union or remain in the Moscow-led bloc, calling on Yerevan to hold a referendum. Pashinyan has previously responded that, under EAEU rules, only Armenia has the authority to decide whether to leave the union.

Another sign of the strained relationship is that Russian President Vladimir Putin has still not publicly congratulated Pashinyan on his victory in Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections.

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