European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier, commenting on relations between Armenia and the European Union, declined to say whether the EU could require Armenia to introduce a visa regime for Russian citizens.

The question was raised during the European Commission's daily press briefing. Mercier was also asked whether the issue had been discussed with Armenian officials. The questions followed remarks by Member of the European Parliament Fernand Kartheiser, who suggested that Armenia, regardless of the economic and financial consequences, would have to join sanctions against Russia if it applied for European Union membership, Factor.am reported.

"When discussing the accession process, it is important to emphasize that Armenia is now closer to the European Union than ever before. The first EU-Armenia summit, held a few weeks ago, was a real success. In addition to the Resilience and Growth Plan, the excellent cooperation under the European Peace Facility and partnership missions, Armenia has taken another step toward the EU by adopting the so-called 'EU bill.' This is indeed an important symbolic step," Mercier said.

According to him, accession to the European Union is a clearly defined, merit-based process that requires a formal application from the aspiring country.

"We are now working closely with Armenia to bring it closer to the European Union, including in areas such as connectivity, trade, and much more," he concluded, without directly answering the original question.

On May 4, Yerevan hosted the 8th European Political Community Summit, followed by the first Armenia-European Union Summit. Around 50 high-level delegations attended the European Political Community meeting, including European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. French President Emmanuel Macron also traveled to Yerevan, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first visit to Armenia.