Armenian authorities have approved a proposal to begin the process of applying for EU membership

On Thursday, the Armenian government approved a bill aimed at initiating the country’s application to join the European Union. This move comes as Armenia has increasingly strengthened its ties with Western nations, distancing itself from its historically close relationship with Moscow, which has been criticized for not adequately supporting Armenia against its longstanding adversary, Azerbaijan.

The legislation was proposed following a successful petition drive. According to a document reviewed by Reuters, the government expressed its support for the bill’s introduction to parliament, stating that it would mark “the beginning of the accession process of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union.” A response from Brussels was not immediately available.

Three other former Soviet republics—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—have successfully joined the EU, a process that involves extensive negotiations and alignment with EU laws, among other requirements.

During the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the public should not anticipate a swift accession, noting that any such move would ultimately require a referendum. In 2023, Pashinyan conveyed to the European Parliament Armenia’s willingness to align closely with the EU, although he refrained from endorsing full membership. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked that Russia needs to clarify Brussels’ stance, asserting that Armenia cannot join the EU while still being a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, a trade bloc comprising several post-Soviet states.

Armenia maintains a cordial relationship with the European Union; however, the path to membership is fraught with challenges. The country, which is landlocked and mountainous, has a population of 2.7 million and does not share a border with the EU. Since the late 1980s, Armenia has been embroiled in a conflict with Azerbaijan, a key gas supplier to EU nations.

In 2023, Azerbaijan launched a rapid military campaign to reclaim Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that had been predominantly governed by its ethnic Armenian population with support from Yerevan for over thirty years, leading to a mass exodus of residents.

Recently, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev characterized Armenia as a “fascist” threat that must be eliminated, a statement that Yerevan interprets as a potential precursor to renewed hostilities.