“That’s the EEU’s problem because it means in effect that the Eurasian Economic Union is paralyzed and not working. Pashinian similarly said in late June that Russia and the three other EEU member states must clarify whether the Russian-led trade bloc “exists or not.” Putin is understood to have reaffirmed that position when he spoke with Pashinian by phone on Monday. Pashinian reiterated on Wednesday that the referendum cannot take place before the Armenian government formally applies for EU membership. Pashinian also indicated that Yerevan will not change its European integration policy despite the Russian embargo on multimillion-dollar imports of Armenian agricultural products and mineral water.