Brussels, 2 September 2026
The EU Council has backed temporary trade liberalisation covering around 80% of Armenian exports after new Russian restrictions. Hours earlier in Bishkek, Vladimir Putin warned Nikol Pashinyan that Armenia’s EU path is incompatible with continued membership of the Eurasian Economic Union. Pashinyan insisted Armenia has not decided to leave the EAEU and argued that Yerevan needs economic and political alternatives. Together, the two developments underline Armenia’s increasingly difficult attempt to deepen EU ties without triggering a full economic break with Russia.
EU Council backs temporary trade measures to support Armenia
The Council today agreed to introduce temporary trade-liberalisation measures for Armenian products to support Armenia’s economy following trade restrictions recently imposed by Russia. These measures will liberalise around 80% of Armenian exports to the EU. This preferential arrangement comes with certain conditions and also includes safeguard measures to protect the EU market if imports adversely affect EU producers.
The Council endorsed the Commission proposal without changes, clearing the way for the regulation to be swiftly adopted after the European Parliament is also expected to approve the proposal without amendments.
Europe stands with Armenia and its people, who have chosen a clear path for reform and closer cooperation with the European Union. Today’s decision sends a clear message: when faced with economic coercion, the EU will respond. We will create new opportunities and stand with our partners.
Helen McEntee, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland
The regulation introduces a temporary suspension of import duties for a broad range of Armenian products, including selected agricultural products subject to tariff-rate quotas. The measures will apply for two years from the regulation’s entry into force and will cover almost 99% of Armenia’s exports of fresh fruit, vegetables and plants to Russia and more than 91% of beverages and spirits.
The proposed regulation is intended to support Armenia after trade restrictions imposed by Russia have disrupted Armenian exports and transit routes. It also aims to strengthen EU-Armenia trade relations in line with the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
The preferential arrangements remain conditional on Armenia complying with the applicable rules of origin, engaging in administrative cooperation with the EU, refraining from introducing new trade restrictions on EU imports and respecting the essential elements of the CEPA, including democratic principles, the rule of law and human rights.
Next steps
The European Parliament is expected to adopt its position without amendments during its September plenary session. Once that position is formally adopted, the Council will approve it and the regulation will be adopted, entering into force on the day following its publication in the Official journal of the EU.
- Commission proposal
- EU law tracker
- EU relations with Armenia (background information)
- EU-Armenia summit (4-5 May 2026)
- EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement
- Strategic Agenda for the EU-Armenia Partnership
Source – EU Council
Verbatim: Vladimir Putin’s conversation with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan
Bishkek, 1 September 2026, 20:00
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The conversation took place on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek.
On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Russian section of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia Alexei Overchuk; Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin; Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office and Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov; Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov; Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin; Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev; Head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Sergei Dankvert; Director General and Chairman of the Management Board of Russian Railways OJSC Oleg Belozerov; and Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev.
Vladimir Putin: Dear Nikol Vovayevich! Dear friends! I am very pleased to see you.
First of all, I would like to emphasise the main point and begin with it: we have always advocated and continue to advocate the development of friendly, mutually beneficial relations with Armenia based on the principles of strategic partnership and alliance. We proceed from the assumption that this corresponds to the fundamental interests of the Armenian people, to the fundamental interests of Russia and — I will not repeat it, you and I have noted this many times — is also consistent with the historical roots that bind our two peoples.
Russia is the republic’s main trade and economic partner, with a share of around 30 percent, and an investor in Armenia’s economy.
In the first half of this year, trade turnover amounted to $2.5 billion.
Mutually beneficial projects are being implemented in industry and agriculture, mining, peaceful nuclear energy, transport and the digital economy. Russian companies are among the largest taxpayers contributing to Armenia’s budget, create jobs, transfer modern technologies and strengthen the country’s energy security.
I would also note that you and I have repeatedly discussed issues related to Armenia’s stated intention to join the European Union. We have repeatedly addressed this subject both by telephone and in our personal conversations.
You know Russia’s position well: Armenia’s aspiration to join the EU is the natural and legitimate right of the country and its people. Armenia is a sovereign state; it is for the Armenian people to determine the direction of their development. But this undoubtedly creates difficulties for remaining in the Eurasian Economic Union and threatens to nullify the republic’s advantages on the EurAsEC market and disrupt established trade chains.
Meanwhile, over more than ten years of participation in Eurasian integration processes, Armenia’s GDP has almost tripled: in 2015 it was $10.6 billion, and by the end of 2025 it was $29.2 billion — at least according to our statistics. Exports to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union have increased tenfold: today, the association’s market accounts for around 36 percent of Armenia’s foreign trade turnover.
Therefore, of course, the people of Armenia should clearly express themselves regarding the choice of the country’s future political and economic course, but at the same time, as we have said, it is important to approach the corresponding steps in a strictly objective manner, based on realities.
And I repeat once again: we will respect any choice made by the Armenian people. Whatever Armenia decides, that is how it will be. But we will have to adjust our trade and economic policy in connection with these possible decisions, and we would ask you to make up your mind on this as quickly as possible.
I remember that you publicly said that you considered it necessary subsequently to hold a referendum on this matter, and I supported your position at the last summit of the EurAsEC heads of state. I specifically mentioned that Prime Minister Nikol Vovayevich Pashinyan had publicly announced this, and I also asked my colleagues to support it.
And the sooner we determine this, the better, because we too need to understand how we should develop relations with Armenia, above all economically.
Certain things — regulatory issues concerning, for example, agricultural products, issues involving the regulation of various technical norms and standards — are completely different in EurAsEC and the EU.
We have been through this repeatedly. Attempts — back when we had more or less normal relations — to reach some compromises with the Europeans led nowhere, nowhere at all. They are fairly tough negotiators, quite stubborn. And we never found a way to resolve almost any issue.
At some point, we will probably nevertheless have to do this too, bearing in mind the fundamental interests of both our economy and the European economy, and the complementarity that exists in some areas. I hope all these crisis phenomena will pass at some point.
But even when they pass… We had good relations with Europe, and even then it was very difficult to reach agreement. And in this connection, problems will most certainly arise involving European goods entering our market through Armenia, services and so on. There are a thousand issues.
We would like to understand what is going to happen in this area.
I hope that now, in a calm, friendly and businesslike atmosphere, you and I will discuss all these issues.
Nikol Pashinyan: Thank you very much, Vladimir Vladimirovich.
First of all, I am very pleased about this meeting and this opportunity, because indeed many issues have accumulated that need to be discussed.
First and foremost, I would like to confirm that we are interested in the further development and deepening of our relations with the Russian Federation.
We simply also need to acknowledge that over recent years the situation in our region generally, around Armenia, has changed, and it seems to us that we need to look at the situation from this perspective.
Because relations between Russia and Armenia in a conflict environment had a different meaning. But now that peace has been established in the region, it seems to us that we need to look at the situation with fresh eyes. And I think this will serve the development of our relations, and what we have in mind is the deepening and development of our relations, and this is very important.
You mentioned the Russian enterprises operating in Armenia. And I must say that today we discussed this issue: a great many Russian companies operate very successfully in the Republic of Armenia. They are highly profitable; you are right, they pay taxes.
But these companies also need to be divided into two categories: companies that operate successfully, meaning that they are profitable and developing; but there are also companies which, unfortunately, are not profitable and are not developing. And this is a problem, I think, both for Armenia and for the Russian Federation.
This is also an issue. We need to look at and discuss these issues, these nuances as well.
Regarding the EU. You know that this issue is discussed a great deal both at the working level and publicly.
You know that last year we adopted a law on launching the process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union — on launching the process. And there has been a great deal of discussion about the extent to which the adoption of this law is compatible with our obligations within the Eurasian Economic Union.
Both before and after this, we analysed the treaty framework that exists between the Russian Federation and Armenia, as well as the treaty framework that exists within the Eurasian Economic Union.
And, frankly speaking, we did not find any violations of the obligations Armenia has towards the Russian Federation and towards the Eurasian Economic Union.
Because the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union itself directly states how one should act if a country decides to leave the Eurasian Economic Union.
Incidentally, there is nothing in it — no such provision — allowing a member state to be suspended from the organisation.
In other words, it stipulates that if a country decides to leave the Eurasian Economic Union, it must inform its partners of this six months in advance.
I think we should look at this situation from that perspective. At present, we have not informed our partners that we intend to leave the Eurasian Economic Union.
I think we should proceed from this fact, because there has been a great deal of discussion about a referendum on this issue.
To be frank, the adoption of the law already meant at that point that we were abandoning the idea of a referendum.
Because if parliament had not adopted that law at the time… I would like to remind you that this law was initiated by civil society, meaning they collected signatures from Armenian citizens — under the constitution, such a possibility exists — and submitted this draft to parliament.
If parliament had not adopted the law, the initiators could have collected another 250,000 signatures, and if parliament had once again rejected it, we would have had to hold a referendum in the Republic of Armenia.
So by adopting this law, effectively, it turns out that we abandoned the idea of a referendum.
And why did we abandon it? Because this question — I have now had the opportunity to share my thoughts with you on this — had not matured to the point where a question could be put to our people.
Why did we adopt this law at all? First, in order not to hold a referendum, and second, as I have repeatedly said publicly, it is very important for us that our country and our people have alternatives. I think that is a legitimate objective.
This does not mean that we are dissatisfied with the Eurasian Economic Union, despite the fact that within the EAEU there are many issues, working issues. We always discuss these, both strategic issues and tactical issues.
We simply think that, particularly in the current international environment — incidentally, today we also discussed this; the theme of the SCO summit was “a multipolar world order” — it is considered a legitimate objective for a state, for a country, to have alternatives.
And this process is not against Russia, it is not against the Eurasian Economic Union.
Because we highly value our relations with the Russian Federation. Indeed, as you have already mentioned, they are extremely important for us, for our country. We hope that these relations are important for the Russian Federation as well.
I think that we — both the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation, and we personally — must treat these relations with great care.
I would like to confirm that I personally, and our Government, treat them with great care.
And I am sure that you too treat these relations with great care, and I would like to thank you for that.
Vladimir Putin: Dear Nikol Vovayevich!
You and I will now have a discussion. I always find it interesting to debate any subject with you, including this one. But on the main issue, I will nevertheless allow myself to disagree with you. You said that you had not announced your withdrawal. The adoption of a law launching the procedure for joining another economic organisation effectively amounts to a declaration of withdrawal from ours, because membership in both is incompatible. That is the problem. Well, let us calmly discuss all of this now.
Nikol Pashinyan: Yes. I simply think — and I say this publicly — that we understand the time will come when a very specific choice will have to be made. Our position is simply that at present that time has not yet come; it is not now that we need to make it. Because, effectively, we currently have no alternative; this alternative has not been created in reality. When it has been created, if it is created, then, of course, we will make a choice — with the help of a referendum or without one. Those options also exist. I will be happy to continue this conversation with you and answer all your questions.
Vladimir Putin: I agree that the people should always have a choice. Well then, make that choice and we will close the subject. That is all. The simplest thing is to turn to the people and ask: what do you want? This way or that way? And that is all. All right, let us talk now.
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Disclaimer: E-translated by ChatGPT. This English translation is provided for informational purposes only. In the event of any discrepancies or legal interpretations, the Russian version shall prevail and is the only legally binding text.
Source: The Kremlin