Putin and Pashinyan Discuss Armenia's EU Ambitions and EAEU Tensions

In early September 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held talks in which Putin made a proposal to Pashinyan and they discussed Armenia's intention to join the European Union. Putin disagreed with Pashinyan's statements about Armenia's potential exit from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Meanwhile, Pashinyan announced that Yerevan would not hold a referendum on EU membership and would not cancel the law on starting the EU accession process, nor would it introduce visas for Russian citizens. He also said Armenia is working with Azerbaijan to establish interstate relations and open communications.