Overchuk: Russia hopes Armenia will continue constructive work within the EAEU

ArmInfo. Russia hopes that Armenia will continue its constructive work within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk told the Vesti program.

According to him, Armenia has been a member of the union for just over 10 years, and during this period, the country's GDP has almost tripled. Accordingly, GDP per capita also tripled.

"Our trade in the peak year of 2024 reached $12.4 billion, while Armenia's GDP at that time was approximately $26-27 billion. And we, of course, very much hope that Armenia will continue to work constructively with other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union," Overchuk said.

On May 9, 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 noting that it would leave the EAEU whenever it deemed it necessary. And on May 29, the heads of four of the five EAEU countries adopted a resolution recommending that Armenia hold a referendum on its continued membership in the EAEU. On the same day, the Russian president stated that Armenia could not sit on two chairs and needed to make a choice as soon as possible.

It should be noted that on January 9, 2025, the Armenian government approved a draft law on the beginning of the process of joining the European Union, proposed by the "Eurakve" civic initiative. The draft was sent to the Armenian parliament for approval. On March 26, the 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.