Armenia dares to change course: EU accession is within reach!

Armenia dares to change course: EU accession is within reach!

Armenia is taking a significant step towards Europe. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the country is ready to start the accession process to the European Union (EU). On Wednesday, Yerevan's parliament voted by a large majority in favor of a law requiring the government to initiate this process. This represents a clear break with the traditional ties to Russia, as Armenia was part of the Soviet Union until 1991 and has maintained close ties to the Kremlin since then. Krone.at reports that the push for EU membership came against the backdrop of a recent Azerbaijani military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh that left Armenia feeling abandoned by Russia.

Armenia suffered a painful loss last year: Azerbaijan took complete control of Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia's military support was lacking in this crisis, which shook the Armenian leadership's trust in Moscow. As a result, Armenia has frozen membership in the Russian-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization military alliance and is actively seeking closer ties with the EU. In addition, a security agreement was signed with the USA to strengthen its own defense strategy. T-Online.de highlights that Foreign Minister Ararat Mirsoyan praised the EU's role in his country's security interests.

Signal for a change of course

The decision of the Armenian parliament was accompanied by broad support among the population. A citizens' initiative collected over 50,000 signatures for the draft law on EU accession. Despite the positive signals, the government emphasizes that the final decision on EU accession must be made in a referendum. An official dialogue with the EU to develop an accession roadmap is the next step on the agenda. However, comprehensive domestic policy reforms must be initiated in order to meet the requirements for accession.

While Armenia is changing its foreign policy direction, the Kremlin is threatening economic consequences if it joins the EU. Russia's spokesman Dmitry Peskov made it clear that simultaneous membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and the EU was not compatible for Russia. Such a move could severely strain economic relations, as Russia supplies Armenia with natural gas and operates important infrastructure. It therefore remains to be seen how Armenia will manage this balancing act between its Western ambitions and its existing dependence on Russia.

According to the EU Commission, Armenia will be viewed favorably if it applies for membership, even though no EU member state has publicly supported accession. However, geopolitical tensions and Moscow's gradual loss of influence could provide further opportunities for Armenia to position itself in the West and pave the way to membership.