Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that a time will come when the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union (EU) can cooperate.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Putin said that Russia takes a relaxed view of Armenia’s developing relations with the EU, but emphasized that Yerevan cannot belong to two customs unions simultaneously.

“Perhaps years from now, the EAEU and the EU—we live on the same continent, after all—will be able to coordinate,” Putin said. “Even before the Ukrainian crisis, we tried to agree with Europeans on working together, but nothing came of it. They take a very rigid position on almost every, what seemed to me, even mild at the time,” the Russian leader added.