Russia says Armenia’s interest in EU membership is a cause for concern

Russia said on Thursday that Armenia’s interest in joining the European Union could have a negative impact on its alliance with Moscow and on integration processes across the post-Soviet space.

Vladislav Maslennikov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s European Affairs Department, told state news agency TASS that Yerevan’s move towards closer ties with Brussels “cannot but cause concern”.

“We hope that Armenia, as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, understands the potential negative consequences of closer engagement with Brussels both for our allied relations and for the development of integration processes in the post-Soviet space,” Maslennikov said.