Lavrov Warns Armenia About Ukraine's Path

In a recent interview, Lavrov compared Armenia's processes to those of Ukraine in 2013, blaming the EU for meddling in electoral processes.

“Don't these processes currently unfolding in Armenia remind you of those that were happening in Ukraine in 2013, when the same kind of 'combat unions' fusion was taking place? The formal trigger for the bloody 'Maidan' was President Yanukovych's request not to cancel, but to postpone the signing of the Association Agreement. Because it was quite evident that if Ukraine became an associated member of the European Union, it would have almost zero tariff rates on all positions (goods). And within the framework of the CIS free trade zone, it also had 'zeros' with us. There was no customs boundary. We simply told them that if they opened the border with Europe, we would have to close our own because, having joined the WTO, we had achieved tariff protection from Europe for 18 years. And we succeeded. If you widely open the doors, then everything will flood to us.

Russia has traveled this road in its relationship with Ukraine. How to avoid making the same mistakes with Armenia now, not to break off relations, not to sever ties?

Everything is being done on our part. All our positions and the advantages Armenia has from membership in the Eurasian Economic Union are significant, receiving energy resources from us 3-4 times cheaper than EU prices. I come from the premise that there are good economists there. We have regular contacts between deputy prime ministers. Any issue that interests Armenians can be discussed, including the situation related to the 'South Caucasus Railway,' which is under the concessional management of Russian Railways (РЖД).

We are astonished to hear how these issues are being handled... If they have arisen, tell your partner how you judge this in that context. Instead, a public statement is made that this is all 'theirs,' and that we owe them 2 billion. I understand that this evokes emotions among our citizens beyond just economic analytical assessments. I am no exception.

We can also recall Moldova, where elections took place with such fierce participation from the European Union, yet even that did not help to win the majority of votes from Moldovans living in Moldova. Just 48% supported moving towards the EU and electing Maia Sandu as president. Everything was decided by those constituencies that opened in Europe—over two hundred voting stations—while in Russia, where the largest diaspora is, only two were opened. Hundreds of thousands of votes were simply erased, and people were not allowed to vote.

Now, by the way, the European Union has a mission there. A similar mission was fighting against 'hybrid threats' during the parliamentary elections in Armenia on June 7 of this year. It is painful, especially since, once again—in both Moldova and Armenia—the EU is directly interfering in the electoral processes, trying to exert influence. True, not as brazenly as they did in Romania in 2024, when no campaign helped, and at that time, the leader was removed from the race after the first round without any explanation.

Perhaps, in Armenia and other countries that are enamored with the EU, there are analysts. I have no doubt about it. Smart, attentive people must ultimately understand what the EU represents and what benefits they want to gain.