Russia threatens to scrap gas privileges for Armenia over its pro-European course
Photo: Moscow threatens to cancel preferential gas supplies to Yerevan (Getty Images)
Russia has begun threatening Armenia over its course toward closer ties with the European Union. Moscow sees a risk to bilateral cooperation between the two countries, according to Kommersant.
In particular, Moscow is threatening to cancel preferential supplies of gas, oil products, and diamonds. The warning is contained in a letter from Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilyov to Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.
Moscow claims that Yerevan’s European integration puts at risk the foundation of bilateral trade, economic, and investment cooperation.
As a result, the Russian side is considering unilaterally suspending or fully terminating the existing intergovernmental agreement.
Consequences for Yerevan
The intergovernmental agreement between the two countries was signed in 2013. It allows Armenia to purchase Russian gas, oil products, and unprocessed diamonds without export duties, under preferential terms linked to domestic consumption volumes.
At present, energy resources from Russia remain critically important for Armenia’s economy. The country is almost entirely dependent on Russian gas and also receives most of its oil products from Russia each year.
Experts note that if the duty-free regime is canceled, it would be extremely difficult for Armenia to find replacements for Russian supplies quickly. A shift to alternative sources would inevitably lead to a sharp increase in fuel and gas prices.
Recently, the Russian leader expressed dissatisfaction with Armenia’s pro-European course. According to him, this policy could lead to consequences similar to the events in Ukraine in 2014, referring to Russia’s aggression.
In addition, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during a meeting with Putin, highlighted the country’s progress in democracy. In particular, he noted the absence of political prisoners and stressed that social media in Armenia operates without restrictions.
