Yerevan`s potential EU accession decisions cause concern among EAEU  member states -Ushakov

ArmInfo.  Membership in the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) has brought Armenia numerous benefits, as stated by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov during a briefing, according to Russian media.

Specifically, he highlighted that Armenia's gross domestic product  (GDP) reached $20.2 billion, compared to $11.6 billion in 2014 prior  to joining the EAEU. Furthermore, real wages have increased by 50%,  exports to EAEU countries have grown tenfold, and imports from EAEU  states have risen 4.5 times. By the end of 2025, according to the  presidential aide, Russia accounted for 38.5% of Armenia's total  export deliveries, or 37.5% of the country's aggregate foreign trade.

Ushakov also attributed Armenia's impressive economic growth rates  over the past five years to the outcomes of Eurasian integration. He  noted that GDP increased by 12.6% in 2022, 8.7% in 2023, 5.9% in  2024, and 7.2% in 2025. "These are tangible figures demonstrating  that Armenia derives immense benefits from cooperation within the  EAEU framework," the diplomat said, adding that the leaders of the  EAEU member states will discuss the outlook of relations with Armenia  during a closed-door meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council  in Astana. 

Overall, since the inception of the Union, intra-EAEU trade volume  has more than doubled, while trade turnover with third countries has  grown by 72%.

At the same time, Ushakov emphasized that Armenia cannot be expelled  from the EAEU under the organization's foundational cooperation  principles; however, discussing the consequences of its potential  accession to the European Union is necessary. According to Ushakov, a  scenario remains possible where a country independently declares that  it is ceasing cooperation for various reasons.

In this context, the Russian presidential assistant stressed that  Yerevan's steps toward potential EU integration—and the subsequent  impossibility of simultaneous cooperation with the EAEU—cause concern  among Union member states. "Therefore, all these issues are already  on the table, and the leaders will undoubtedly discuss them when they  meet," Ushakov said.

He also informed that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will  not attend the EAEU events in Astana due to the upcoming elections  and the ongoing political campaign. The country will be represented  by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan.

Note, according to data from the Statistical Committee of Armenia,  foreign trade turnover between Armenia and EAEU countries contracted  by 36.9% in 2025, totaling over $8 billion. Concurrently, export  volumes decreased by 5% to $3.2 billion, amid a 48.5% drop in imports  to $4.8 billion.  Bilateral trade with Russia during the reporting  period registered a 38.3% decline, amounting to $7.6 billion. A 6.9%  decrease was recorded in exports ($2.9 billion), accompanied by a  49.2% slump in imports ($4.7 billion).