On May 22, Gevorg Papoyan, Armenia’s Economy Minister, stated that risks of escalation persist until a peace treaty is signed with Azerbaijan, while reaffirming Yerevan’s commitment to securing peace within the framework of its sovereignty and red lines.
Speaking to journalists after a government session, Papoyan responded to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks urging Baku to finalize a peace deal with Yerevan. He welcomed any statement that could facilitate concluding the already negotiated agreement and emphasized that the Armenian government’s efforts aim to prevent further conflict and casualties.
Addressing Armenia’s foreign policy orientation, Papoyan clarified that there is no agenda for leaving the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and that Armenia has not applied for European Union membership, echoing Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s earlier statement alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. However, Papoyan noted that Armenia continues to align its legislation with international best practices, citing upcoming National Assembly votes on four EU consumer protection and competition directives as an example.
Papoyan also distanced the ruling Civil Contract party from a recent parliamentary bill proposing the launch of Armenia’s EU accession process, asserting that while signatures from over 50,000 citizens were gathered, the authorities expressed their stance by refusing to adopt the proposal.