Armenia could formally apply for European Union membership in 2027 or 2028, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

Axar.az reports that, speaking to Euronews at the EU Enlargement Summit, Pashinyan said the government had launched a process aimed at reaching a final decision on submitting an application.

“Next year can be realistic. 2028 can be realistic. We started the process which will bring us to the final decision to submit application for formal membership of European Union,” he said.

Pashinyan described EU membership as a strategic choice for Armenia, saying his government wanted to provide citizens with an alternative in the country's foreign policy direction.

He said the Armenian people would ultimately decide between closer integration with the EU and continued membership in Russia's Eurasian Economic Union.