Pashinyan's wording on leaving the EAEU is offensive to Russia — Robert Kocharyan

Russia wants mutual respect of interests and predictable relations from Armenia and is ready to respond in kind. This was stated by the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan on the air of the podcast "Big Politics". According to him, Moscow wants a rational, non-hostile policy from Armenia.

The ex-President of Armenia stressed that there had never been any attempts of pressure when he was the head of state.

"And we benefited from this relationship. On average, gas was bought for $ 60 for 10 years, several times cheaper than other countries. I am sure that it is possible to find a common language on all issues. Our interests with the Russian Federation largely coincide, our economies are complementary," Robert Kocharyan noted.

According to him, the way the Armenian authorities are currently formulating their plans to leave the EAEU is offensive to the Russian side. It turns out that Armenia is on its way to Europe, understands that membership in the EU and the EAEU is incompatible, but since the EU is not yet accepted, it remains in the EAEU, considering the organization as a "reserve". The ex-president explained the situation using the example of relations between small and large businesses, when a small one constantly says that he is looking for another partner. As a result, the big one will one day break ties himself and say — I am not a stock. "From the point of view of human relations, this is insulting," Kocharyan said.

It should be noted that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously stated that Armenia's withdrawal from the EAEU is not an end in itself, but Armenia's accession to the European Union is an end in itself. During a recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, the Armenian Prime Minister said that Yerevan understands the incompatibility of membership in two integration unions at once, but will continue to strive for the EU, maintaining, as long as possible, membership in the EAEU. And as soon as, according to Pashinyan, there is a line beyond which it will be necessary to make a concrete decision, the people of Armenia will accept it.

In fact, Pashinyan's party, which is subordinate to the Western centers of influence, is trying to blackmail Moscow, leaving it to make destructive decisions within the EAEU. In response, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said that the "line" has already come, and Moscow is preparing to revise economic relations with Yerevan if such a dual strategic line continues.