Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking at a joint press conference in Yerevan with his Armenian counterpart, stated that he sees no grounds to compare Armenia’s path to that of Ukraine, despite the country’s moves toward closer ties with the European Union.

Responding to a journalist’s question about whether Russia might use economic or military pressure to block Armenia’s European integration, or whether it would respect Yerevan’s sovereign decisions, Lavrov was clear: “I see no reason for the 'Ukrainization' of Armenia. Armenia is our ally, our friend. It does not outlaw the Russian language or culture, nor does it strip ethnic Russians or Russian speakers of their legal rights.”

His comments come after Armenia’s National Assembly passed a bill on March 26, in its final reading, initiating the country’s EU accession process. The government had endorsed the proposal—put forth by the civil initiative Eurovote—on January 9. However, the European Union has yet to issue an official invitation for membership talks. Opposition parties have criticized the bill as legally nonsensical. The law has been signed by Armenia’s president.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk warned that Armenia “cannot sit on two chairs” and must choose between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the EU. He compared Yerevan’s trajectory to “buying a ticket on the Titanic.”