Lukashenko jokes with Aliyev, trolls Pashinyan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is in Tajikistan to attend the CIS Heads of State Council meeting. Ahead of the summit, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko exchanged remarks with Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, according to RIA Novosti.

Referring to a previous concern, Lukashenko turned to Aliyev and said: “Ilham Heydarovich, you were saying ‘he won’t come,’ you were worried yesterday. I told you that Nikol Vovaevich doesn’t go anywhere without you.”

During the closed-door meeting of CIS leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is always open to new members, noting that joining the bloc brings clear economic benefits.

“We all know how our relations have evolved over the past 30 years. The EAEU was created because the CIS framework couldn’t provide universally acceptable mechanisms. That’s why a group of countries chose to deepen trade ties, and this group became the EAEU.

The EAEU’s doors are always open. We discuss this topic with our partners. In my opinion, it’s beneficial. It brings economic advantages, opens more markets, and creates broader opportunities for cooperation. In short, it’s just useful. Absolutely useful,” Putin said.

Relations between Lukashenko and Pashinyan have been tense in recent years. Pashinyan has accused Lukashenko of supporting Azerbaijan during the Karabakh war and said he and other Armenian officials would not visit Belarus while Lukashenko remains in power. Armenia has attended recent EAEU events hosted by Belarus only via videoconference.