“This is already becoming a pattern”: Zakharova on Pashinyan’s refusal to attend the EAEU leaders’ summit

Russia has received notification from Armenia that Pashinyan will not attend the EAEU leaders’ summit, the country will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Grigoryan. That is what Maria Zakharova, official spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated.

According to her, Pashinyan’s refusal to participate in EAEU events has become a pattern, though this will not affect the union’s work. “The problem is not that Pashinyan will not come to the EAEU summit. This is already becoming a pattern, one that, as we understand it, Nikol Pashinyan himself has established in this regard. There is of course no tragedy for the organization itself; the question concerns Armenia alone,” Zakharova said.

According to the diplomat, Moscow does not subscribe to an either-or principle and has always maintained that the two directions can be organically combined, but that was before strikes began coming from one of those directions, the West, targeting Russia’s economy, trade, finances, and taking the form of illegitimate sanctions.

“Everything has turned into a hybrid war in the trade dimension. And the illegal sanctions are having an impact on the countries that are members of the EAEU as well,” Zakharova said.