Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin is currently in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has announced.
According to her, the ambassador is “holding consultations,” RBC reported.
Kopyrkin was recalled to Moscow on May 30. According to the report, the decision was linked to “steps taken by the Armenian leadership toward closer integration with the European Union, which are harming cooperation within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.”
Earlier, following the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Astana, EAEU member states Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan called on Armenia to hold a referendum as soon as possible on choosing between the European Union and the EAEU.
The joint statement issued by the EAEU member states said that a report on the possible consequences of suspending the application of the EAEU treaty to Armenia would be presented at the Eurasian Economic Council meeting scheduled for December.
According to the statement, the decision to prepare such a document was driven by serious risks to the economic security of the union’s member states arising from Armenia’s intention to join the European Union.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a press conference following the Astana summit that if Armenia leaves the EAEU, it would lose access to the benefits of the union’s free trade area and face higher railway tariffs and stricter requirements for road freight carriers.
According to Putin’s assessment, higher energy prices could cost Armenia at least 14 percent of its gross domestic product.
At the same time, the Russian president stressed that regardless of whatever decision Armenia makes regarding its future participation in the EAEU, humanitarian and political ties with Russia would remain unaffected because, in his words, “this is purely an economic matter.”
