On May 21, Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, stated during her weekly briefing that the Russian Federation had received official notification from Armenia regarding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s non-participation in the upcoming Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) leaders’ meeting. According to Zakharova, the Republic of Armenia will instead be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan.

Zakharova stated that Pashinyan’s absence from EAEU events had become a recurring pattern, emphasizing that "this is already turning into a systemic pattern—Pashinyan’s absence from EAEU events—a pattern which, as we understand it, Nikol Pashinyan himself has established in this sphere." She added that there was "no tragedy whatsoever for the Union itself; the issue lies solely with Armenia," while noting that such developments raise broader questions about Armenia’s foreign policy direction.

The spokesperson emphasized that Moscow evaluates Armenia’s actions rather than political declarations, particularly in relation to its engagement with European structures. She stated that Russia has repeatedly warned about what it sees as contradictions between membership in the EAEU and closer alignment with other integration frameworks, noting that "it is impossible to combine membership in the EAEU with the implementation of supranational regulatory mechanisms belonging to a different integration bloc." According to Zakharova, this position has been consistently communicated to the Armenian side at various levels, including by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk.

Zakharova further argued that European Union institutions are pursuing what she described as a "destructive policy" involving sanctions pressure against EAEU member states. She stated that "those very Western European, EU-affiliated institutions are pursuing a destructive policy—a policy of unlawful sanctions—against the very countries that constitute the EAEU," adding that such actions complicate integration processes within the Eurasian framework.

At the same time, Zakharova emphasized that Russia does not reject multi-vector cooperation in principle, stating that Moscow has always supported the idea of "organically combin[ing] cooperation across all directions." However, she noted that this approach, in Russia’s view, has been undermined by what she described as Western sanctions policies, which she characterized as evolving into a "hybrid war," including in the trade sphere.