Armenia to apply for EU membership in near future

YEREVAN

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Aug. 24 that the country intends to begin the process of applying for EU membership in the near future.

Speaking at the presentation of the government’s 2026-2031 program in the Armenian parliament in the capital Yerevan, Pashinyan said Armenia would need to submit a formal membership application before preparing a roadmap for a potential referendum on EU accession.

“First of all, Armenia must submit an official request for membership in the EU,” Pashinyan said.

He added that the process would require substantial work and that Yerevan would begin it “in the near future,” while also taking into account concerns raised by Armenia’s partners in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Armenia’s parliament approved a law in March 2025 to launch the process of joining the EU. Pashinyan has previously said that a referendum on EU membership would be meaningful once public discussion of the issue reaches a decisive stage and a roadmap can be prepared.

EAEU member states have warned Armenia that potential integration with the EU could affect its membership in the bloc.