Interview with Arman Babajanyan, Chairman of the “For the Republic” Party.
– Mr. Babajanyan, what does the Prime Minister’s statement on excluding simultaneous membership in the EAEU-EU mean?
-This means that the half-hearted positions are over. Armenia officially declares that it sees its future with the democratic, legal, and economic system of Europe. This is a historic decision: it excludes any false balance and puts us before a real choice. The choice has been made, and it is in favor of Armenia’s EU membership.
-Leaving the EAEU will inevitably have economic consequences. How do you assess them?
-Yes, shocks are inevitable in the short term. But we must be honest: the so-called “Russian re-export boom” was artificial, not sustainable economic development. The EAEU market is gradually becoming a dead end, while the EU offers new opportunities, including a large market, high standards, and investment inflows. This transition requires logistical diversification, energy insurance, and radical governance reforms. If we do not move in this direction, Armenia will remain a raw material appendage with limited prospects.
-Russia will undoubtedly react to Armenia’s decision. What kind of pressures do you expect, and how do you imagine resisting them?
-Russia has been punishing us for a long time: it does not supply weapons, does not fulfill its alliance obligations, and constantly blackmails us. Therefore, the real question is not the existence of sanctions, but whether we are willing to continue tolerating this dependence or not.
There will be pressures on energy, trade, and transport. But today we have a real alternative: with the support of the US and the EU, we can build new infrastructure, ensure energy diversification, and turn Armenia into a pillar of regional connectivity. This is a choice between dignity and independence.
–Withdrawing from the EAEU also implies withdrawing from the CSTO, where Armenia de jure continues to remain. How do you assess the security consequences of this step?
-The CSTO has not protected Armenia, but betrayed it. We have lost soldiers and territories, and the alliance has remained silent. This experience has irrefutably shown that Armenia’s security cannot be entrusted to obligations written on paper but not fulfilled in practice. Security must be built on a new alliance system, with deepened cooperation with the US, France, Greece, India, and within NATO. The most important thing is to rearm its own army and significantly increase its defense capabilities. Without these steps, no alliance can ensure Armenia’s security.
– Is this a strategic turning point for Armenia?
-This is not a turning point; this is fate. We have no alternative: either we remain a half-living dependency, or we turn into a dignified and sovereign state on the European path. Yes, this is a significant risk, but also a unique opportunity to reposition Armenia in the international system. Determination and responsibility are the most important here. It must be said clearly: we have chosen the European Union, and this is irreversible.
