The preparation of such a report for discussion at the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is not new for anyone who has really delved into this topic, including for Armenia’s government. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated this at a press briefing on Wednesday.

This is how she responded to a reporter's question about Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement on the report on the consequences of Armenia's possible withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Zakharova noted that the statement of the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, with the corresponding instructions, was adopted back in May.

“That is why to talk here about this being some kind of unexpected destructive action is simply somehow strange.

Moreover, such reaction you noted can be called both hasty and, in general, even aggressive on the part of Armenia’s leadership. Perhaps this is simply an attempt by all possible and impossible means to somehow divert the public’s attention from mature, urgent problems, again, as you know, shifting the responsibility onto someone else.

Unfortunately, the new flood of unfounded accusations made by Yerevan against Moscow has not yet been followed by any constructive proposal or responsible decision on the main issue, which concerns not only the population and business of Armenia, but also other countries of the Eurasian Economic Union: where is Armenia ultimately integrating? It is a simple question,” added the Russian MFA spokesperson.

“A lot was said in the statement you are talking about. And they called us, they even called Russia a ‘metropolis’. It seems to me that everything is the opposite. Something has gotten mixed up there. It is our country that is one of the countries that is fighting against the modern practices of colonialism or neo-colonialism—by the way, unlike the same France.

Nikol Vovayevich Pashinyan did not call it a ‘metropolis,’ did he? He seeks to become Armenia’s best friend and, moreover, does not even hide the fact that, in general, the outlines of the past, his own past, are close to his heart, ,” Zakharova continued.

She noted that Russia “throughout its history has never perceived the borders of other states, all states that are near or far from Russia, other states as a source of resources.” “It seems to me: it would be admirable if someone in Yerevan, once again wanting to curse and using the words ‘metropolis,’ ‘colonies,’ ‘empires,’ etc., remembered that, in particular, France still has so-called ‘overseas territories.’

And this is not an expression taken from a fairy tale, but an expression taken from official documents, and, according to French legislation itself, they are called that. We have already repeatedly witnessed such manifestations of modern political thought in Yerevan, when instead of a reasonable and objective response to some specific events, either outright distortions, or some manipulations, or some insults are heard.

All this is built on some painful emotions that revolve around topics that are very sensitive for Armenian society. Moreover, the expressions that you drew attention to are reminiscent of such ‘best’—we put in quotes—Western European practice to justify their political mistakes, miscalculations, for example, in the field of ensuring the country’s security, with the presence of an external enemy, and simply continue to insult.

No matter how accustomed the representatives of official Yerevan are to verbal labels, it is clear what they mean. We also understand that everything is addressed to Russia, which, as we often hear from Yerevan again, is allegedly striving, here I have written out an exact quote for myself, ‘to create a province out of Armenia,’” Zakharova said.

As per the Russian MFA spokesperson, all this is also done “in order to please official Brussels, as long as the current politicians are there, so that, perhaps, they can ask something from them as well or somehow ‘extinguish’ what was given.”

"In general, all this rhetoric—both aggressive, emotional, and not corresponding to reality—it again hits not us. It misleads Armenian society, its own population; that is, the population, I mean from the point of view of official Yerevan: the population of Armenia.

Such rhetoric is built on ignoring economic realities; moreover, on ignoring the assessments of the path of joining the European Union to the detriment of traditional Russian-Armenian ties of the economic union, which are voiced by representatives of the economic bloc of Armenia.

By the way, it is important that the ruling circles of Armenia understand and accept, including in conversations with us, the futility of attempts to join the European family, but for some reason do not draw conclusions from them, including publicly.

In Yerevan, they are again trying to cling to the nuances of the report, which reflects the general assessments of all of Yerevan's partners in the EAEU, and shift the responsibility onto others instead of seeing the main message.

And it lies in the fact that the current state of affairs, despite repeated warnings, was led to by the line—moreover, legally enshrined in Armenia—towards joining the European Union, and a way out of the current situation, in fact, seems to be sought not there.

The way out is indicated in the joint statement of the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan on May 29. And there is no need for any insults, curses. There is a need to just take the documents and draw appropriate conclusions from them, and sincerely talk about it with one’s own citizens, ”concluded Russian MFA spokesperson Maria Zakharova.