Amid pressure from Russia, Armenian authorities have secured EU support.

The EU is preparing a support package for Armenia, including over €50 million in emergency financial assistance. Options for supplying agricultural products to Europe will also be explored. The first shipment will be 10,000 flowers sent to Latvia, the head of the European Commission stated. The Armenian government has promised compensation to farmers affected by Russia's import restrictions.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) imposed temporary restrictions on the import of flowers from Armenia starting May 22, 2026, and on fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, and strawberries starting May 30. In addition, the import of all Armenian mineral water "Jermuk" and certain cognacs and wines to Russia has been suspended, and the import of fish from Armenia has been significantly restricted. Rosselkhoznadzor extended the ban on fresh grapes and stone fruits, including cherries, as of June 2, and on June 3 to potatoes, eggplants, pome fruits, and dried fruits as of June 3.

Moscow has no intention of paying for Yerevan's entry into the European Union, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated at a briefing on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"Even less are we going to pay for entry into the European Union. This association is pursuing an openly hostile line toward our country and other countries," TASS quoted her as saying.

The diplomat emphasized that Armenia will not be able to straddle the line between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union.

"We've heard some verbal sparring about the CSTO. That the CSTO withdrew from Armenia. But we couldn't come up with any wording here. The EAEU never withdrew from Armenia," she continued. Zakharova.

The election campaign has nothing to do with this. This is a matter of clearly defining the course they plan to pursue.

At the same time, she assured that Russia's demands are not related to the parliamentary elections in Armenia. "I think that those who started this mess will have to make a decision anyway. The election campaign has nothing to do with this. This is a matter of clearly defining the course they plan to pursue," the diplomat concluded.

Russia and other countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will study the possibility of suspending Armenia's membership in the union by December, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk.

According to him, the union's member states intend to examine this issue from a legal perspective. He emphasized that the current EAEU treaty does not contain mechanisms for either temporarily suspending a country's participation in the union or for its expulsion, Interfax reports.

"We will now study what a suspension would mean. The truth is that the Union Treaty does not provide for a regime for suspending membership, nor does it provide for a regime for expelling members. Therefore, all of this must be studied very carefully, from a legal perspective, by December," the Deputy Prime Minister is quoted as saying in the publication.

Europe promises to support Armenia amid Russian pressure

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. She reaffirmed the European Union's commitment to supporting Armenia's economic resilience and the implementation of development programs. She announced that the EU is preparing a support package including over €50 million in emergency financial assistance, as well as additional measures aimed at expanding export opportunities for Armenian products and facilitating trade. The interlocutors also discussed practical support programs for various sectors, including agriculture and floriculture. In this context, the importance of creating new opportunities for Armenian products in European markets was emphasized, the press service of the Armenian Prime Minister reported.

By extending export restrictions on Armenian products, Moscow is using economic relations as a weapon to exert political pressure.

"This is nothing less than economic coercion, and it is unacceptable. By extending export restrictions on Armenian products, Moscow is using economic relations as a weapon to exert political pressure. "We know this tactic all too well. That is why Europe firmly supports Armenia," von der Leyen was quoted as saying on the European Commission website.

According to von der Leyen, in addition to financial assistance totaling over €50 million, trade facilitation for Armenian agricultural products is being prepared.

"A shipment of 10,000 flowers is scheduled to arrive in Latvia tomorrow. More will follow," she stated.

Armenian authorities announced compensation for agricultural producers

The Armenian government plans to compensate fruit, vegetable, and flower exporters for part of the costs of supplying products to markets other than Russia in June. The decision was made at a cabinet meeting on June 4, Armenia Today reports.

The authorities intend to allocate 1.9 billion drams (US$5.1 million) for these purposes. The project is driven by the need to support exporters in diversifying their markets amid restrictions imposed by the Russian Federation. The document notes the need to stimulate exports to other countries through compensation per kilogram of produce. According to the draft, compensation of 770 drams (US$2.10) is provided for each kilogram of strawberries, 275 drams (US$0.74) for tomatoes, 400 drams (US$0.11) for peppers, and 37 drams (US$0.10) for each flower.

According to the document's rationale, budgetary changes have not yet been made, although the Ministry of Economy should receive the necessary funds within a month. To receive compensation, exporters must submit an application to the Armenian Ministry of Economy in electronic or paper form, attaching customs declarations and payment documents.

The document also states that in 2025, the volume of fresh vegetable, fruit, and flower exports from Armenia amounted to approximately 72.9 billion drams (US$197 million), of which 93.3% went to Russia. Under the program, approximately 4,250 tons of fruits and vegetables and approximately 10 million flowers are planned to be exported in June 2026, Armenia Today reports.