The 9th year of Armenia's accession to EAEU has been completed. On September 3, 2013, Serzh Sargsyan, entirely by surprise, made a single decision to join the EAEU. He signed the document to join the EAEU in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: "I confirmed Armenia's desire to join the Customs Union and to be involved in the process of forming the Eurasian Economic Union."

It is noteworthy that Armenia was negotiating with the EU on the European Association Agreement for 3.5 years before that. RA also planned to sign the document in Vilnius in November 2013. By his decision, Serzh Sargsyan changed the playing cards, and European officials described Armenia as an unpredictable, unstable partner.

However, on March 18, 2013, during a meeting with journalists, Serzh Sargsyan, addressing the concerns that Russia could force Armenia to be part of the Customs (later Eurasian) Economic Union, claimed the opposite: "Don't believe those who say that the Russians are forcing us to become a member of the Customs Union. There is no such thing. How often do I have to repeat it so everyone understands?"

By the way, for a long time, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, as well as Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, called RA's membership in EAEU impossible, arguing that an economic unit with which RA does not have a direct common border with its member states cannot be effective. But after joining the EAEU, the same Tigran Sargsyan and Shavarsh Kocharyan became supporters of that decision. Moreover, Tigran Sargsyan held a high position in the EAEU, being the chairman of the collegium.

But who remembers all this now?

Arman Galoyan