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On Wednesday, the Armenian parliament voted to initiate the process of the country’s accession to the European Union, a historic step in Yerevan’s foreign policy. According to AFP, the decision was supported by 64 deputies of the ruling party, while 7 were against.
The move follows a rapid cooling of relations between Armenia and its traditional ally, Russia. Moscow, which has been Yerevan’s main arms supplier for decades, did not intervene during the Azerbaijani offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh in autumn 2023, which led to its complete occupation by Baku.
Armenia’s Departure from Russia and its Course to the West
After the loss of Karabakh, more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians were forced to flee, and Yerevan openly accused Moscow of failing to fulfil its obligations as an ally.
In January 2024, Armenia joined the International Criminal Court (ICC), which means that if Vladimir Putin visits its territory, the country’s authorities will be obliged to arrest him in accordance with an ICC warrant.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also said that Armenia has effectively frozen its participation in the CSTO military alliance, which is led by Moscow.
In addition, Yerevan held joint military exercises with the United States and expanded cooperation with NATO.
A new stage in relations with Azerbaijan
Despite ongoing tensions, Armenia and Azerbaijan announced in March 2024 that they had reached a preliminary agreement on a peace treaty. However, key details, such as border demarcation, remain subject to complex negotiations.
The confirmation of Yerevan’s course towards European integration could finally change the geopolitical balance in the Caucasus, where Armenia has been considered an outpost of Russian influence in the region for decades.
