YEREVAN. - The suggestion of Armenia’s PM Hovik Abrahamyan to shift to using rubles in trade within the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is absolutely correct, but it can’t be carried out shortly, Chairman of Russia's Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko said today at a briefing in the Armenian government.

According to her, Armenian-Russian trade and economic relations, the further expansion of trade ties and diversification shouldn’t depend on the rate of national currencies. “In no case should they depend on dollar rate. Of course, the ideal option for us would be to shift to national currencies,” she said.

Matviyenko also stressed that gradual steps should be made in this direction. “And if all the parties are interested, I think the goal can be achieved. Work should be carried out in this direction. [And] This is an absolutely correct direction and I support what Hovik Abrahamyan said,” Matviyenko said.

At the meeting with PMs of EEU member-states in Grodno on September 8, Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan suggested that the EEU member-states use the Russian ruble instead of the U.S. dollar in trading with each other.