Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Moscow to discuss in detail Yerevan’s future choice between integration with the European Union (EU) and current membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), RIA Novosti reports.

“I have invited him [i.e. Pashinyan] to Moscow so that without haste, the two of us, as well as with his and our government specialists, we sit down and go through each point. There are also specific issues there; for example, the [current Russian concession management of the Armenian] railway [system],” Putin told reporters in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

The Russian president noted that when discussing a possible change in Armenia’s foreign economic direction, it is necessary to take into account the clear advantages of its current participation in the EAEU. According to him, Armenia gets significant privileges within the framework of this union—and it is not only about energy prices.

“Working within the framework of EurAsEC [i.e. the Eurasian Economic Community], Armenia certainly receives quite large privileges. I’m not even talking about energy prices now,” the Russian president said.

Also, Putin had previously stated that Russia was ready to calmly discuss with Armenia its possible rapprochement with the EU, but had pointed out the differences between the rules of the two structures and their possible consequences for the Armenian economy.