YEREVAN, July 31. /TASS/. Armenia’s withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) would not lead to the collapse of the integration bloc, head of the Analytical Center for Strategic Studies and Initiatives Hayk Khalatyan told TASS. He was commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s earlier statement that the EAEU is currently paralyzed and that failure to lift restrictions imposed on Armenia would mean "the end of the EAEU."

"I do not believe that Armenia’s withdrawal from the EAEU would lead to the collapse of the Eurasian Economic Union. Moreover, I would remind you that many EAEU member states were initially opposed to Armenia’s accession to the integration bloc, and it was only Russia’s lobbying that helped Armenia, despite not sharing a common border with the union, become a full-fledged member," Khalatyan said. He also noted that Armenia ultimately became one of the union’s main beneficiaries, as evidenced by its rapid economic growth.

At the same time, the expert said the actions taken by Russia, including the introduction of economic restrictions against Armenia, came as a complete surprise to the current Armenian authorities. According to him, an additional "unpleasant surprise" was that the previous methods of "appeasing Moscow" while continuing the country’s geopolitical reorientation toward the West and Turkey no longer work.

Under these circumstances, Khalatyan believes that the Armenian prime minister is trying to pressure Russia by invoking EAEU rules in an effort to secure the removal of the Russian restrictions, which, if maintained, would have serious negative socioeconomic consequences for the republic. At the same time, he noted that Pashinyan has so far been unsuccessful. Moreover, the expert expressed doubt that the other EAEU member states would be willing to enter into a dispute with Russia over the issue.