Russia wants to see Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union: EurAsEC Institute Director

Lena Badeyan
Public Radio of Armenia

“Russia wants to see Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union,” Director General of the EurAsEC Institute Vladimir Lepyekhin told reporters in Yerevan. He said the opinion that Belarus and Kazakhstan do not see an economic interest in Armenia’s membership or that Russia is still trying to clarify relations with Azerbaijan are groundless.

Vladimir Lepyekhin is confident Russia would like to see Armenia as a founding member of the Union, but because of certain reasons it was established earlier, he said.

“The document was not  signed firstly because the Armenian government was quite strict about Armenian interests. But this is no tragedy, it would have been worse if Armenia agreed and signed the document against its interests, now Armenia has time to negotiate,” Lepyekhin said, adding that the further process of negotiations will be decided upon after the Armenian and Russian presidents’ meeting or telephone conversation, which, he thinks, will happen soon. 

Although Armenia is said to join the Eurasian Economic Union by the end of the year, Vladimir Lepyekhin does not rule out anything.

He said three countries – the United States, Russia and Ukraine have launched a real war on post-Soviet space and presented an analysis on the direction Armenia should move in. Ruling out all other “dangerous ways,” Lepyekhin said the only right direction is Russia, which is Armenia’s only true partner. He hinted that under the given circumstances neutrality is impossible.