Armenia Appeals to Eurasian Economic Union for Removal of Russian Trade Restrictions

Oct. 21, 2026 Alexander Nemenov / AFP Armenia has asked the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to designate Russia’s growing trade restrictions on Armenian goods as illegal market barriers, the newspaper Kommersant reported Wednesday, citing the South Caucasus country’s economic minister. Russia has issued sweeping bans on a range of Armenian products this year as Yerevan, Moscow’s historical ally, began the process of joining the European Union. Amid the mounting restrictions, the EU relaxed tariffs on around 80% of Armenian exports for the next two years. “We consider the [Russian] restrictions against us to be unlawful,” Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan told reporters, according to the Kommersant. “If these restrictions are recognized as a barrier, then Russia is obliged to remove them within 30 days per EAEU procedures,” Papoyan was quoted as saying. He added that Armenia has already submitted individual appeals to each trade restriction introduced in recent months, and in one case, it allegedly secured the support of three other members of the economic union. However, Russia has used its veto power to block those appeals, Papoyan said. A translation of Papoyan’s comments cited by Kommersant states that the EAEU will consider Armenia’s latest, more sweeping appeal on Nov. 3. “We’ll see if there will be a tangible result,” he was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, a joint report released Tuesday by the remaining EAEU members Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan warned that Armenia’s exit from the economic union or alignment with the EU would hit Yerevan’s trade, labor and energy markets. Relations between Russia and Armenia have soured in recent years after neighboring Azerbaijan took control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in September 2023. Officials in Yerevan accused Russian peacekeepers of failing to protect the region and its Armenian population from advancing Azerbaijani forces during a shock offensive. Read more about: Armenia , Trade , Business Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Armenian Banks Tighten Checks on Transactions Linked to Russia Sanctions The measures could further restrict Russians’ access to Armenia’s banking system and disrupt payment routes used to transfer money from Russia to other... 3 Min read China Now Supplies 90% of Russia’s Sanctioned Tech Imports – Bloomberg Sources told Bloomberg that tougher EU sanctions had further restricted Russia’s remaining channels for acquiring Western technology directly. 2 Min read Russia Introduces Helium Export Controls Amid Global Shortage Russia is the world’s third-largest helium producer behind Qatar and the United States. 2 Min read Thousands of Trucks Stuck at Kazakhstan-Russia Border Amid Customs Crackdown Transport operators see the situation as a sign that Kazakhstan is moving toward closer compliance with Western sanctions on Russia. 2 Min read