Armenia's government on Thursday gave approval to a bill that calls for the country, once part of the Soviet Union, to launch a bid to join the European Union.

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

On Thursday, January 9, the Armenian government approved the draft law titled "On the Start of the Process of Armenia's Accession to the European Union," the news agency NEWS.am reports. "The draft law on the start of Armenia's EU membership process was submitted for discussion in the National Assembly as a civic initiative,