Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has stated that member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) do not want Armenia to leave the bloc but are prepared to respect Yerevan’s decision, according to RBC, citing the Belarusian government-linked Telegram channel Pul Pervogo.
“We do not want Armenia to leave our Eurasian union. At the same time, we respect Yerevan’s choice. We respect the choice of the Armenian people,” the Belarusian president said.
Lukashenko noted that if the Armenian authorities decide to withdraw from the EAEU and seek membership in the European Union, the bloc’s member states cannot oppose the will of the Armenian people. He also said that participants at the summit supported the idea of holding a referendum on the issue.
At the EAEU summit in Astana, leaders of the union’s member states adopted a declaration concerning Armenia’s future participation in the organization in light of Yerevan’s course toward European integration. The document was handed to Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan for delivery to Yerevan.
A joint statement published on the Kremlin’s website says that representatives of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia are expected to prepare, by December 2026, a report on the possible consequences for Armenia if its participation in the EAEU is suspended.
The document emphasizes that such measures are being considered because of potential risks to the economic security of the union’s member states linked to Yerevan’s plans regarding accession to the European Union.
