Huge gap between fine European rhetoric and real security guarantees  - Kazakh politician

ArmInfo.There's a huge gap between fine European rhetoric and real security guarantees. This opinion was expressed by Kazakh politician Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, speaking about Armenia's prospects for joining the European Union (EU).

In this regard, he noted that Armenia does not have a common border  with the EU, which creates significant challenges in logistics,  transportation, markets, and supply chains. "That means everything  will have to be done through third countries. But we must remember  that the European market is not a charity fair. There, Armenian  cognac, wine, fruit, and agricultural produce will face very stiff  competition from France, Italy, Spain, and Greece. No one there will  support Armenian exports with their wallets," Yertysbayev asserted.

Meanwhile, as the politician recalled, in 2024 alone, approximately  $3.8 billion in remittances were sent from Russia to Armenia.  According to him, at that time, this amounted to almost two-thirds of  all remittances to the country. "That means, for a huge number of  Armenian families, this means food, medicine, utilities, and  education. Losing this channel would hurt not the government, but  ordinary families. And most importantly, Armenia now risks losing  what really feeds its economy: cheap Russian gas," Yertysbayev  emphasized.

Regarding visa-free travel with Europe, he noted that this isn't  about jobs, a market, cheap gas, or security.  In other words, the  politician explained, no one in Europe welcomes Armenian labor  migrants with open arms. Meanwhile, as Yertynbayev pointed out,  relations with Moscow have sharply deteriorated. "And here we must  understand that there is a gigantic gap between the beautiful  European rhetoric and real security guarantees. The European Union  will not send an army to protect Armenia. They even turned down US  President Donald Trump at a critical moment. Guarantees are few, and  the risks are through the roof. The reality of Armenia's accession to  the EU is, in my opinion, very, very low. But does Yerevan understand  the cost of such geopolitical romanticism? Instead of maximizing its  location-its geography between Russia, Iran, Turkey, the Caucasus,  and the Middle East-and becoming a transit industrial logistics hub,  the Armenian government is betting on an extremely vague European  prospect. But geography cannot be abolished, nor can neighbors. And  the economy always punishes those who confuse dreams with reality,"  the expert concluded.

As a reminder, on January 9, 2025, the Armenian government approved a  draft law on the start of the accession process to the European  Union, proposed by the "Eurakve" civic initiative. The draft was  submitted to the Armenian parliament for approval. On March 26, the  country's parliament adopted it in its final reading and sent it to  the president for signature. The document was signed on April 4 of  that year.  Moscow stated that Russia had conveyed to Armenia that  simultaneous membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and the  European Union was impossible. On May 9, 2026, Russian President  Vladimir Putin, speaking to journalists, suggested that Armenia  decide on its membership in the EU and the EAEU as soon as possible,  expressing its readiness to "begin a civilized divorce" if necessary.  Yerevan responded by stating that it would leave the EAEU when it  deemed it necessary. And on May 29, the leaders of the EAEU countries  adopted a joint statement demanding that Armenia hold a referendum on  its membership in the EAEU.