Armenia seeks to join EU in blow to Vladimir Putin
Armenia approved a bill on Thursday to initiate the process of joining the European Union, signaling a further shift away from its traditional ally, Russia.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia have deteriorated, with Armenia seeking closer ties with the EU.
In March 2024, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan announced that the country was considering joining the European Union. At the same time, Armenia is also withdrawing from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a bloc of former Soviet states positioned as Russia's alternative to NATO.
Mirzoyan presented the bill to parliament, explaining that Armenia and the EU had developed "an intensive dynamic" in recent years.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in March 2024 that his country wanted to freeze its participation in the CSTO. Speaking to France 24, he explained that the alliance had failed to meet Armenia’s expectations.
(QG - Source: Newsweek / Picture: © Pixabay)