Russia and the Armenian people are linked by deep historical ties, but Armenia’s simultaneous membership in the European Union (EU) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is impossible, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, RIA Novosti reports.

“We [i.e. Russia] are linked to the Armenian people by historical threads of friendship, and even more than friendship: we have very deep roots in relations with Armenians, the Armenian people in general, including Armenians in this region of the world. But it is simply impossible to be in the two organizations [i.e. the EU and the EAEU] at the same time,” Putin said during a press briefing concluding his visit to Kyrgyzstan.