On May 11, 2026, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced his absence from the EAEU summit scheduled for May 28-29. Delegating his participation to Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, Pashinyan cited ongoing parliamentary election campaigns and a scheduled military parade in Armenia as reasons for his decision.

This development follows escalating tensions between Armenia and Russia. During recent remarks, Putin suggested that Armenia should conduct a referendum on whether to pursue European Union integration or maintain relations with the EAEU. He ominously referenced the "Ukrainian scenario," implying that similar pathways could lead to conflict, as seen in Ukraine following its attempts to align with the EU.

Pashinyan has publicly rejected the idea of holding a referendum regarding EAEU membership, stressing Armenia's commitment to its partnerships within the union. He stated, “We respect all our partners in the EAEU... and will continue our participation in all decision-making.”

The Armenian Prime Minister emphasized that Armenia aims to deepen its European integration and democratic reforms while maintaining its existing commitments to the EAEU. His absence from the summit and the refusal to entertain Putin's suggestions underscore the increasingly strained relations between Yerevan and Moscow amid Armenia's pivot toward the West.

This situation is part of a broader context where Armenia has expressed growing dissatisfaction with Russian security assurances and has sought closer ties with European partners, particularly amidst the ongoing conflict in the South Caucasus.