Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commented on the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not congratulate him on his parliamentary election victory during a recent phone call, saying: “He didn’t want to, so he didn’t.”
“The Russian president did not congratulate me, but that raises the question: who, then, was he talking to?” the Armenian prime minister said.
Asked how important the matter was to him personally, the PM did not respond.
Pashinyan’s remarks came after a phone conversation with Putin on July 27, 2026, initiated by the Armenian side.
They discussed bilateral economic issues, including Russian restrictions on exports of Armenian-origin goods. Pashinyan said the restrictions contradicted the legal framework of Armenia-Russia relations and Eurasian Economic Union rules, and asked Putin to take steps to resolve the issue.
Putin reaffirmed his commitment to a May 29 joint statement by leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and emphasised the need for Armenia to promptly hold a nationwide referendum on joining the EU or remaining in the EAEU.
Pashinyan responded that such a referendum would be practically possible only after Armenia formally submits an official application for EU membership.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
