Russia Warns Armenia: Energy Costs Could Rise If EU Path Continues
Armenia's Energy Dependence and Political Crossroads
Kremlin's Warning on Gas Prices
MOSCOW, May 25 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday said Armenia could lose the "very attractive" price it pays for Russian gas if it turned away from integration with Russia, ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Armenia's Economic Ties with Russia and the EU
Armenia is a member of a Russian-led economic union and heavily dependent on Russia for energy supplies, but in recent years it has sought deeper ties with the European Union, including adopting a law last year to launch its accession process to the bloc.
Kremlin's Statement on Gas Pricing
"There is a very, very attractive and more than preferential price for Russian gas," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, when asked about relations with Armenia.
"But, of course, such terms are not available to participants in other integration frameworks. There, the pricing structure is entirely different. It is market-based."
Armenia's Position and Diplomatic Engagements
Statements from Armenian Officials
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said Armenia had no interest in severing political and economic ties with Russia.
"We want and will strive to preserve and deepen our normal relations," Russian news agency Interfax quoted him as telling reporters in Yerevan on Monday.
Upcoming Diplomatic Talks
On Tuesday, Rubio is set to visit Armenia for talks with Mirzoyan, the State Department said on its website, adding that the two plan to attend a memorandum-of-understanding signing ceremony. It did not provide further details.
Context: Russia-Armenia Relations and Regional Tensions
Recent Strains in Bilateral Relations
Ties between Russia and Armenia - which hosts several Russian military bases - have grown increasingly rancorous since Azerbaijan forcibly retook the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 despite the presence of Russian peacekeepers.
Gas Pricing Discussions and Political Developments
Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue of gas pricing at a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in April, saying that Yerevan paid $177.50 for 1,000 cubic metres of gas from Russia that would cost over $600 in Europe.
"The disparity is vast," Putin said.
The Russian leader also told reporters on May 9 that it would be "logical" for Armenia to hold a referendum on its EU aspirations.
Upcoming Armenian Elections
Armenia holds a parliamentary election in June that pits Pashinyan's party against an array of opposition parties, many of which are pro-Russian.
(Reporting by Anastasia Lyrchikova; additional reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in TokyoWriting by Alessandra Prentice; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Ros Russell)
