Armenia approved a bill on Thursday to initiate the process of joining the European Union, signaling a further shift away from its traditional ally, Russia. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,

Armenia’s government backed kicking off the process for accession into the European Union, a move that could anger its traditional ally, Russia.

The Armenian government on Thursday introduced a bill to parliament that calls for the country to begin the process of joining the European Union. According to the Armenpress news agency, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the government is committed to the law,