Armenia will formally apply for European Union membership “in the near future” and call a national referendum on joining the bloc, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told parliament on Monday.
Presenting his government program for 2026-2031 in Yerevan, Pashinyan laid out a roadmap: submit an official application, receive an EU response, agree on a negotiating framework, then put membership to a popular vote. “To hold a referendum, Armenia must submit an official application to join the EU,” Pashinyan said. “This is a process that requires extensive work. In the near future, we will begin this process.”
A Historic Pivot From Moscow
The announcement represents the most dramatic geopolitical realignment in the South Caucasus since the Soviet collapse. Armenia has been a member of Russia-led security and economic blocs for decades, but relations with Moscow have deteriorated sharply since the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and Russias perceived failure to protect Armenian interests.
Pashinyan has spent two years quietly diversifying Armenias foreign partnerships, strengthening ties with the EU, France, and the United States while publicly distancing Yerevan from the Kremlin. Monday formalizes that trajectory in the starkest terms yet.
Referendum and EU Accession Path
The prime minister said a referendum makes sense only once the EU accession discussion reaches a turning point with a clear roadmap. Armenian law requires a constitutional amendment to allow EU membership, which demands a national vote. The government must first negotiate terms with Brussels and secure an appropriate response before the referendum can proceed.
The EU has not yet commented on Armenias announced intention. Previous enlargement rounds have taken years of preparation, and the blocs institutional capacity to absorb new members while managing internal reform debates remains a question mark.
For Yerevan, the calculus is straightforward: EU membership would anchor Armenia in a Western institutional framework, unlock economic integration with Europe, and reduce dependence on Russian energy and security guarantees at a time when Moscows reliability as an ally has eroded.
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