Russia has summoned its ambassador Sergey Kovyrkin from Armenia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on 30 May.
The diplomat was summoned to Moscow for consultations “in connection with the Armenian leadership’s steps towards rapprochement with the European Union”, the ministry said in a statement.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that such steps of the Armenian authorities allegedly “cause damage” within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.
On the eve of the EAEU – Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan – following the results of the summit in Astana called on Armenia, also a member of the association, to hold a referendum on the choice between the EAEU and the European Union.
Relations between Armenia and Russia remain tense due to Yerevan’s policy of rapprochement with the West. Moscow has criticised the Armenian authorities for their pro-Western policies, and Russian agencies have imposed import restrictions on a number of Armenian goods.