Putin Warns Armenia of ‘Divorce’ if It Chooses Europe Over Russia 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Armenia to make a clear decision “as soon as possible” between seeking membership in the European Union and remaining part of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, as tensions between Moscow and Yerevan continue to grow ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections next month.

Putin made the remarks over the weekend, only days after Armenia hosted both the European Political Community summit and the first-ever EU-Armenia Summit in Yerevan. The high-level gatherings brought together European leaders and triggered strong criticism from Moscow, which has increasingly accused Armenia of drifting away from Russia and moving closer to the West.

“In my opinion, it would be right for both the citizens of Armenia and us as their main economic partner to make a decision as soon as possible,” Putin told reporters. “For example, by holding a referendum. It's not our business, but it would be entirely logical to hold a referendum and ask Armenia’s citizens about their choice. Accordingly, we would draw conclusions and go down the path of a gentle, courteous and mutually beneficial divorce.”

Putin also said he plans to raise the issue during the upcoming summit of the Eurasian Economic Union scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan on May 28-29. The meeting will come less than two weeks before Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections, which are already shaping up around major debates concerning the country’s geopolitical future and foreign policy direction.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did not directly respond to Putin’s latest comments. While campaigning in Armenia’s southeastern Vayots Dzor province on Sunday, Pashinyan ignored a reporter’s question regarding the Russian president’s statement.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan later addressed the issue briefly, saying that Yerevan would make its decision between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union “when the time comes.”

The latest comments from Moscow follow earlier warnings made by Putin directly to Pashinyan on April 1. At the time, Putin publicly stated that Armenia’s continued participation in the Eurasian Economic Union was “not compatible” with the country’s ambitions to eventually join the European Union. Despite that warning, Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party reaffirmed in its election manifesto released later in April that it intends to continue pursuing closer integration with the EU if it wins the June 7 elections.

The issue gained even more attention during last week’s summits in Yerevan. European leaders attending the gatherings repeatedly emphasized that ties between Armenia and the European Union are deepening. However, top EU officials again stopped short of offering Armenia a clear pathway or promise of future EU membership.

Moscow reacted angrily to the events in Yerevan. On May 7, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Armenia of siding with the European Union against Russia, despite their long-standing alliance and Armenia’s membership in Russian-led organizations. Russian officials were particularly angered by the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in one of the summits.

According to Moscow, Zelenskyy made indirect threats regarding Russia’s upcoming May 9 Victory Day celebrations in Moscow by referencing possible drone strikes connected to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Armenian ambassador to Russia was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry the following day over the matter.

Economic ties remain one of Moscow’s strongest arguments against Armenia moving toward Europe. According to the figures mentioned by Putin, Russia continues to be Armenia’s largest trading partner. EU member states accounted for less than 12 percent of Armenia’s foreign trade last year, while Russia represented nearly 36 percent of the total.

Putin stressed that Armenia remains heavily dependent on Russia in areas including trade and energy. He argued that Armenia benefits significantly from participation in the Eurasian Economic Union.

“Our trade with Armenia decreased last year, and the year before it was much higher, but it was still $7 billion in 2025,” Putin said. “Considering that the country's GDP is $29 billion, this is a significant figure. Armenia gains significant advantages within the Eurasian Economic Union framework.”

The Russian president also connected Armenia’s EU ambitions to broader regional developments involving Ukraine. Putin noted that Russia’s conflict with Ukraine began after Kyiv decided to seek closer integration with the European Union, a comparison likely to further deepen concerns in Armenia over growing pressure from Moscow during the election period.

As Armenia heads toward the June 7 parliamentary elections, the debate over whether the country should continue balancing relations with Russia while deepening ties with Europe is increasingly becoming one of the central political issues shaping the campaign.

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