Inside the EAEU Summit where Russia- Armenia Crisis was Resolved in Secret

Armenia, Russia, and the EAEU Ultimatum

The narrative was set before Putin entered the room.

On Friday May 29, the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council convened in Astana, Kazakhstan. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did not attend, citing parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, and sent Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan in his place.

The previous evening in Yerevan, Pashinyan had told voters that Armenia had no plans to leave the EAEU, while denouncing those predicting its withdrawal as people “digging the EAEU’s grave.”

Russia had already moved before anyone sat down. at any negotiation table. The Russian state tightened phytosanitary and sanitary controls on Armenian agricultural exports, including vegetables, fruit, and alcohol.

In the delegates’ waiting room at the Palace of Independence, a correspondant from Kommersant found Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of the Russian Presidential Administration, seated at the same table as Narek Ovakimyan, the Armenian Deputy Economy Minister. He asked Oreshkin whether they had calculated the consequences of the restrictions.

Oreshkin’s replies were plain and simple: “Hope she [Armenia] calculated the consequences.” And: “The EU is quite far from Armenia.”

Then the summit session began, and the press feed went dark.

Not restricted. Cut entirely.

Belarusian, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Russian journalists alike saw nothing. Ministers and presidential aides moved in and out.

Something was being negotiated, and no one was permitted to observe it.