Zakharova: Armenia`s leader non-attendance to EAEU events has become  systematic

ArmInfo. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova believes that the Armenian leader's non-attendance to EAEU statutory bodies events has become a pattern, established by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

During a weekly briefing, addressing the issue, Zakharova confirmed  that the Armenian side had sent official notification that Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan would not be able to attend the upcoming  meeting of EAEU leaders, and that Deputy Prime Minister Mher  Grigoryan would represent the country. Zakharova added that there  have been previous situations where the leaders of EAEU member  states, for one reason or another, failed to participate in the work  of this economic bloc's bodies. "Such situations have occurred  before, it happens for various reasons. This is certainly  undesirable, not what anyone strives for, but it does happen. The  problem is somewhat different. It's turning into a system, which, as  we understand it, Nikol Vovaevich Pashinyan has created in this  area I mean the work of this structure," Zakharova stated.

Recalling that members of the EAEU statutory bodies must participate  in meetings, the diplomat noted that Pashinyan's absence from the  summit certainly doesn't pose a tragedy for the union. "The issue is  solely within Armenia itself. We prefer to judge by the specific  practical steps the Armenian government has taken to implement a  pro-European policy and their impact on Eurasian integration  processes. We have stated from the very beginning that it is  impossible to combine membership in the EAEU with the implementation  of supranational regulatory mechanisms of another integration bloc,"  the Russian Foreign Ministry representative said, reiterating that  Moscow has repeatedly stated this at all levels. According to her,  there's a specific reason for all this:  these Western European,  EAEU-affiliated structures "are pursuing a destructive policy, a  policy of illegal sanctions against those countries that are members  of the EAEU." Zakharova stressed that this is precisely why such a  course of action comes into direct contradiction. The diplomat added  that Russia had always advocated for a harmonious combination of  cooperation in various directions, up until the point when it was  transformed into a hybrid economic war waged by the West against the  Russian Federation.

On May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Armenia would  not be able to be in both the EU and the EAEU simultaneously, adding  that it would be a good idea if the Armenian authorities resolved  this issue as soon as possible. He added that, given the choice,  Moscow could agree to a "civilized divorce." On May 19, Russian  Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk announced in an interview with  TASS that the EAEU summit in Astana on May 29 would consider  Armenia's membership in this integration association.  In response to  these messages from Moscow, Yerevan declared that they would remain  in the EAEU as long as they deemed it necessary.