Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have agreed to hold a separate bilateral meeting to discuss issues related to Armenia’s bid for EU membership, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

Axar.az reports, citing TASS, that Lavrov said the agreement was reached on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek.

He noted that Moscow has no intention of preventing Yerevan from choosing its own partners and development path. However, Russia does not want to subsidize Armenia’s preparations for EU membership through the preferential benefits Armenia currently receives as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

“Amidst all these and other aspects, President Putin and Prime Minister Pashinyan met in Bishkek,” Lavrov said. “They agreed to hold a special, separate bilateral meeting to have a frank discussion about all of this.”