The European Parliament has passed a resolution suggesting that the EU should consider the possibility of giving EU candidate status to Armenia. The initiative, which emerged against the backdrop of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan‘s claim to withdraw his country from the CSTO, has been supported by the vast majority of EU deputies (504) with 32 abstaining and four voting against the move.
«If Armenia is interested in becoming a candidate for accession to the European Union and continues to pursue reforms that strengthen its democracy, it will become a basis for the transformation of the EU-Armenia relations,» the MPs said in the resolution.
The European Parliament called on European businesses and investors to strengthen their economic and trade relations with Armenia. The document also mentions the need to strengthen cooperation with the country in the defense sphere and military assistance to Armenia through the European Peace Foundation.
The parliament also said that it wants Yerevan and Baku to resume bilateral negotiations on all unsolved issues for the conclusion of a peace treaty.
European MPs have also highlighted that Armenia must be ready to impose sanctions against specific entities and individuals threatening the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The resolution was adopted against the backdrop of Pashinyan’s statement claiming that Armenia can leave the CSTO. He said that Armenia was repeatedly assured that its sovereign territory is a «red line» for its partners in the security alliance. However, CSTO member states did nothing when Armenia was going through a crisis.
Secretary General of the CSTO Imangali Tasmagambetov confirmed to the TASS news agency that Armenia hasn’t taken part in the work of the organization’s secretariat.
Armenia has been chaired in the EEU since January 1, 2024. In early March, Ruben Rubinyan, vice speaker of the parliament of Armenia, said that withdrawing from the Eurasian Economic Union isn’t on the country’s agenda.
