Armenia: Caught Between Russia and Europe, Winter 2014

In September 2013, the Armenian President surprised many by announcing a sudden “U-turn” in Armenian policy, promising that Armenia would join Russia’s “Customs Union” project. That single decision significantly weakened the chance for an Association Agreement and related Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement between Armenia and the European Union. The impact of that unilateral decision also added a new threat to the country’s important reform program. But as the decision sank in, the Armenian public concluded that it went too far – even for generally pro-Russian Armenian society. This article demonstrates that anger over Russian pressure has grown, and with Armenia’s increasing dependence on Russia and thus its weakening sense of sovereignty, there is a backlash against both the Armenian President and Moscow.