---
title: "Pashinyan announces Armenia is preparing its EU accession application: referendum to follow after road map agreed with Brussels"
description: "Pashinyan announced in parliament that Armenia will submit its EU accession application in the near future. The referendum will take place after the road map is agreed with Brussels."
date: 2026-08-24T09:38:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/armenia-eu-accession-application-pashinyan-referendum
tags: [armenia, eu-membership, pashinyan, eaeu, csto, eu-integration, referendum]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Pashinyan announces Armenia is preparing its EU accession application: referendum to follow after road map agreed with Brussels

![Nikol Pashinyan against the Armenian flag announces preparation of Armenia's EU accession application](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/24/armenia-zayavka-vstuplenie-es-pashinyan-referendum/armenia-zayavka-vstuplenie-es-pashinyan-referendum-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Pashinyan stated in parliament that Armenia will officially submit its EU accession application in the near future
- The nationwide referendum on European integration will take place only after the road map is agreed with Brussels
- Armenia does not intend to return to the CSTO in the next five years
- The decision to move toward the EU is being made with due regard to consultations with EAEU partners
- A contradiction has been recorded in sources: Pashinyan previously stated that EU accession is not on the political agenda

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, speaking in the National Assembly, stated that Yerevan will officially submit its application for membership in the European Union in the near future. According to the head of government, the process of European integration requires extensive preparatory work, so preparations for a nationwide plebiscite will only begin after the mandatory procedural stages have been completed. Pashinyan did not give specific deadlines for submitting the official documents, limiting himself to the phrase “in the near future.”

### A clear sequence: from application to plebiscite

The Prime Minister emphasized that the referendum on EU accession will take place strictly after a defined sequence of steps has been followed. First, Armenia will officially submit its application, then it will receive a response and assessment from Brussels, after which the two sides will agree on a joint road map of actions. Only at the final stage will a nationwide plebiscite be held. “For a referendum to be held, Armenia must submit an official application for EU accession. This is a process that requires extensive work. And in the near future we will begin this process, in particular heeding the calls of our colleagues in the EAEU,” Pashinyan stated in parliament.

### EAEU and the foreign-policy context

Pashinyan underscored that the decision to move toward the European Union is being made with due regard to the foreign-policy context and consultations with partners in the Eurasian Economic Union. In recent years, Yerevan has consistently deepened its cooperation with the EU against a backdrop of frozen relations with the CSTO bloc. Speaking in parliament, the Prime Minister stated that Armenia does not intend to return to the CSTO in the next five years, and added that he would be “very pleased” if the bloc decided to exclude the country from its membership.

### Contradictory statements

At the same time, open sources record statements that create a certain inconsistency in Pashinyan’s public rhetoric. In particular, the outlet “Business Gazette” previously published a statement by the Prime Minister in which he declared that Armenia’s accession to the EU “is not on the political agenda.” This contradicts his current statements about preparing an application. A possible explanation is an evolution of position against a backdrop of a changed foreign-policy context and growing pressure from Moscow; however, Pashinyan himself has not publicly commented on the discrepancy between these two formulations. Readers should note that, as of the publication of this article, Yerevan’s current position is precisely its readiness to submit an application, as stated in parliament.

### Background: hybrid pressure and pre-election rhetoric

The announcement about preparing an EU accession application came against a backdrop of intensified hybrid pressure on the Armenian leadership from Moscow. According to RBC-Ukraine, ahead of the elections in Armenia the Kremlin rolled out a series of measures: from a ban on the import of Armenian cognac and vegetables to threats to triple the price of gas. Under these conditions, the course toward European integration is perceived in Yerevan as a tool for diversifying foreign-policy ties and reducing dependence on Russian energy and political influence. Analysts note that constitutional reforms, which may be initiated after the elections, will become a key factor determining the pace and depth of Armenia’s integration into the European space.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Armenia preparing its EU accession application: Pashinyan announces the country’s plans](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/virmeniya-gotue-zayavku-vstup-es-pashinyan-1787562387.html) - Подтверждает основное заявление Пашиняна о подготовке заявки и последовательности действий (заявка → оценка → дорожная карта → референдум).
- [Why Pashinyan is rushing to submit an application to the European Union](https://www.pnp.ru/politics/zachem-pashinyan-speshit-podat-zayavku-v-evrosoyuz.html) - Аналитический контекст о мотивах ускорения евроинтеграции; согласуется с основной нарративной линией.
- [Russia and Armenia face a hard divorce and a sharp deterioration of relations: Pashinyan is still trying ...](https://www.kp.ru/daily/2777809/5293793/) - Подтверждает контекст ухудшения армяно-российских отношений и гибридного давления, упомянутое в статье.
- [Pashinyan: Armenia’s EU accession is not on the political agenda](https://www.business-gazeta.ru/news/708512) - Противоречит текущему заявлению о подготовке заявки. Вероятно, отражает более раннюю позицию. Учтено в блоке «Противоречивые данные».

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: When exactly will Armenia submit its EU accession application?
**A:** Pashinyan did not give specific deadlines, limiting himself to the phrase “in the near future.” According to him, the process requires extensive preparatory work.

### Q: When will the referendum on EU accession take place?
**A:** The referendum will be held only after Armenia submits its application, receives an assessment from Brussels, and agrees on a road map of actions with the EU.

### Q: Does Armenia plan to return to the CSTO?
**A:** No. Pashinyan stated that Armenia does not intend to return to the CSTO in the next five years, and expressed readiness for the country’s exclusion from the bloc.

### Q: How does the EAEU view Armenia’s course toward the EU?
**A:** Pashinyan emphasized that the decision is being made with due regard to consultations with EAEU partners and “heeding the calls of colleagues” in the union.

### Q: Has Pashinyan made contradictory statements on the EU issue?
**A:** Yes. Previously, Pashinyan stated that EU accession is not on Armenia’s political agenda. The current statement about preparing an application may reflect an evolution of position against a backdrop of a changed foreign-policy context.