European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union is preparing measures to support Armenia, which is facing economic pressure from Russia. These measures include financial assistance amounting to more than 50 million euros.
“By expanding export restrictions on Armenian goods, Moscow is using economic relations as a weapon of political pressure,” von der Leyen said after a phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “We know this scenario well. That is why Europe stands firmly with Armenia.”
The EU also plans to simplify European market access for some goods from Armenia.
The President of the European Commission announced: “Tomorrow, a shipment of 10,000 flowers will arrive in Latvia. Other shipments will follow.”
Parliamentary elections will be held in Armenia on June 7. Before that, relations between Moscow and Yerevan deteriorated sharply. Russia accuses Nikol Pashinyan of being pro-Western. In response to Yerevan’s attempts to get closer to Europe, Russia began imposing restrictions on the import of products from Armenia – flowers, mineral water, vegetables, herbs, peaches, strawberries, apples and fish.
Russia, along with Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, demands that Armenia hold a referendum and decide whether the country will remain in the Eurasian Economic Union or continue seeking to join the European Union. Pashinyan refused to hold the referendum.