Lukashenko warns Armenia of a Ukrainian-style scenario if it moves closer to the EU
Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, has called on the leadership and citizens of Armenia to be “more cautious” when choosing between continued membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and integration with the European Union.
This was reported by Belta.
According to Lukashenko, talk of Yerevan’s possible withdrawal from the pro-Russian bloc is linked to internal political struggles ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 7. The politician stressed that the Armenian people must carefully weigh all the risks before making such strategic decisions.
In his speech, Lukashenko directly compared the current developments in Armenia to the events in Ukraine, warning the country against repeating a “difficult situation.” He emphasized that the Armenians have only recently emerged from a military conflict, so he urged them to exercise wisdom and not rush into a radical change in geopolitical course. At the same time, the Belarusian dictator assured that if the people officially expressed their will, his country would accept any choice, but he strongly advised focusing on maintaining economic ties with current allies.
This statement echoed similar rhetoric from Putin, who earlier at a press conference following the EAEU summit in Astana also drew parallels between Armenia and the onset of the Ukrainian crisis. The Russian dictator claimed that the war in Ukraine allegedly began precisely because of Kyiv’s attempts to join the European Union, although Moscow traditionally tries to absolve itself of responsibility for its own military aggression against sovereign neighboring states.
Russia recalled its ambassador from Armenia for consultations in Moscow amid reports of Yerevan’s rapprochement with the European Union. The Russian Foreign Ministry attributes this move to political differences between the countries. In reality, this is yet another sign of tension in relations between Moscow and Yerevan.
Rospotrebnadzor blocked the sale of a large shipment of the Armenian mineral water brand “Jermuk,” totaling 64.5 million bottles.
