Armenia plans to begin EU membership application process soon, Pashinyan says

Armenia intends to begin the process of applying for European Union membership in the near future, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Monday, signalling a further step in the country’s shift towards closer ties with the bloc.

Pashinyan said submitting a formal application would require substantial preparatory work and that the government would begin the process soon. He also said Armenia would take into account concerns raised by its partners in the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, according to reports.

The announcement comes after Armenia’s parliament approved legislation in March 2025 calling for the country to launch a process aimed at joining the EU. The legislation did not itself constitute a formal membership application.

Pashinyan has previously linked a possible referendum on EU membership to the submission of a formal application. In July, he said a referendum would be practically possible only after Armenia had officially applied to join the bloc.

Armenia has deepened relations with the EU while remaining a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Pashinyan has said developing ties with the EU does not necessarily contradict Armenia’s existing EAEU commitments.

The EU and Armenia held their first summit in May, reaffirming their expanding partnership and cooperation.