Almost 90 percent of Armenian products are purchased by Russia, stated the chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin.

“We [i.e. Russia] can buy the same agricultural products from other countries, too. There are many who want to sell the same wine to the Russian Federation. And both France and Italy want to sell, despite the sanctions [on Russia]; and Turkey, and Georgia, and Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan. Everyone wants to sell their fruit and vegetable products in our country. But for Armenia, as a member state of the EAEU [i.e. the Eurasian Economic Union], there are privileges. Here it is about honesty, decency,” Volodin added.

If Armenia wants to go to Europe, no one obstructs it from doing so, he noted. According to him, many other countries, including Ukraine, also were preparing to go there.

“They sacrificed everything for the sake of the European Union’s [(EU)] line being implemented towards our country. People are dying. But even those sacrifices that Ukraine, or rather its leadership, has made to please the European Union did not open the [EU] borders for their agricultural products. A large number of people are dying for European leaders and their policies. But at the same time, they are still not allowed to sell [their products] in the territory of the European Union. If Armenia thinks differently, that everything will work out for them, again, that is their choice,” added the chairman of the Russian State Duma.

Here, as Vyacheslav Volodin believes, “one can only say in support of the words of the Russian president: hold a referendum [on the matter], make a decision, orient yourself, and go your own way.”