Armenia urged to hold referendum on joining EU or remaining in EAEU

Moscow (ANTARA) - Armenia must hold a national referendum to decide whether to join the European Union (EU) or remain in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, 29 May. Putin made the statement in a joint Kremlin release with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, discussing Armenia’s aspirations for closer EU integration. ‘We agree on the need to hold a national referendum in the Republic of Armenia as soon as possible regarding accession to the EU or continued membership in the Eurasian Economic Union,’ the statement said. The four leaders also warned that Armenia’s preparations for possible EU accession pose ‘significant risks’ to the economic security of EAEU member states. According to the statement, a report on potential consequences of Armenia’s withdrawal from the EAEU will be presented in December 2026. Armenia’s geopolitical orientation has been a source of rising tensions within the Moscow-led economic bloc in recent months, as Yerevan’s engagement with the EU has increased and a law passed earlier this year launched a process aiming for EU membership. Russian officials have repeatedly warned that EU and EAEU membership are incompatible, while Armenian authorities maintain they intend to maintain cooperation within the Eurasian Union while expanding ties with Europe. Meanwhile, Indonesia signed a free trade agreement with the EAEU on 21 December 2025, covering all EAEU members: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law ratifying the Free Trade Agreement between the EAEU and Indonesia on 26 May 2026.