Russian Intelligence Claims EU Pressures Armenia to Cut Russian Ties

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claims the European Union is pressuring Armenia to reduce Russian business presence in strategic sectors and sever humanitarian ties with Russia. According to the SVR, Brussels is manipulating the Armenian government with promises of visa liberalization and future prosperity while encouraging Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to suppress domestic political opponents who oppose these shifts.

The SVR alleges that EU institutions recognize Armenia would face an inevitable deep economic crisis if it exited the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The agency states that the EU cannot compensate Yerevan for the billions in costs associated with leaving the EAEU due to its own economic struggles resulting from anti-Russian sanctions and support for Ukraine. Additionally, the SVR reports that several European nations are unwilling to open their markets to Armenian goods if it harms domestic producers.

Armenia launched an EU accession process via a parliamentary law on March 26, 2025, though Nikol Pashinyan has stated the country does not intend to leave the EAEU. Conversely, President Vladimir Putin has asserted that integration with the EU automatically requires the cessation of interaction with the EAEU.