YEREVAN. – After the Ukrainian crisis, when the West-Russian Federation (RF) relations have strained, the Customs Union (CU) enlargement process is pushed to the background, Zhoghovurd daily reported.

“The RF’s attention is not focused on the CU.

“Today, when the West threatens the RF with sanctions, do the Armenian authorities continue to carry on the CU accession process with the same diligence?

“To this question by Zhoghovurd the ruling [Republican] Party NA [i.e., National Assembly] Faction Secretary Hovhannes Sahakyan responded: ‘We, as a conscientious and a normal partner, have not deferred and will not defer our actions. We do not link our steps in this matter with other countries’ relations,’” Zhoghovurd wrote.