Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's address to the European Parliament, criticizing a number of his statements and mocking certain formulations.

During a briefing, Zakharova expressed bewilderment over Pashinyan's references to "third countries" and his mention of former KGB agents among the Armenian clergy.

"No, I don't understand what 'third country' means — I don't understand who Nikol Pashinyan is looking at sideways when he talks about KGB agents. Who is he talking about? About Mr. Aliyev? Is he saying that about clergymen? From the subtext, I understand that in his view... No, but is he saying that about Heydar Aliyev? No, about the clergymen of the republic," she said.

Zakharova clarified that Pashinyan appeared to be referring to clergymen who, in his words, may have previously been connected to the Soviet KGB and are now allegedly "trying to sacrifice Armenia's independence in the interests of third countries."

"Ah, just about those who used to be KGB agents in the USSR. And now these clergymen, apparently, are not going along with his will, or are resisting, or trying to talk some sense into him — as he puts it, quote, trying to sacrifice Armenia's independence in the interests of third countries," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman added.

Zakharova paid particular attention to Pashinyan's statements about Armenia's European development path. On March 11, the Armenian prime minister told the European Parliament that the country would win either way — whether it joins the EU or simply aligns its standards with European ones.

Commenting on this position, Zakharova said: "Well, the third country is clear — it's about Russia. I don't know, none of this makes sense. I think, you know, when a person says that if they're accepted into the EU it's good, and if they're not accepted into the EU they'll also win — such people usually play chess against themselves and win."

In her view, such logic raises doubts, and the notion of European standards as an unconditional good fails to account for the actual situation within the EU itself.

Zakharova pointed to the EU's economic difficulties, including declining industrial output, rising national debt, the migration crisis, and high energy prices, which she said are affecting citizens' living standards.

She also noted that Yerevan's aspiration to adopt European standards seems strange given that Armenia does not participate in developing them. Meanwhile, within Eurasian integration frameworks such as the Eurasian Economic Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the republic is, in her words, a full participant in decision-making.

"The economy of Armenia itself — which, incidentally, maintained growth rates above the global average last year at over 7–7.2% — is largely tied to trade and economic relations with the EAEU," she emphasized.

In closing, Zakharova reiterated Moscow's position that simultaneous participation in European and Eurasian integration projects is impossible.

"This is not related to any political assessment — it is a sovereign matter for Armenia. It is simply a statement of fact," she said, expressing hope that Armenian leadership would continue to fulfil its obligations within the EAEU or clearly define its position.