Pashinyan Says Armenia Will Seek New Gas Suppliers, Transit Routes to Reduce Dependence on Russia

Armenia will seek additional sources of natural gas and explore new transit routes as part of a broader push to reduce its dependence on individual markets, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after a government meeting, Pashinyan said diversification would be pursued across every sector of the economy, regardless of changes in energy prices.

“There is no sector in which we are not going to pursue diversification,” Pashinyan said. “Our political decision is that we will develop our independence and statehood.”

Armenia remains heavily dependent on Russian natural gas, most of which reaches the country through Georgia. Armenia also has a gas pipeline connecting it with neighboring Iran.

Pashinyan said Yerevan would pursue opportunities to buy gas from additional suppliers and would also be interested in pipelines crossing Armenian territory if they could generate transit revenue.

“If we have the opportunity to import gas from a second, third or fourth source, or if a gas pipeline passes through Armenia and we can collect transit fees, of course we will pursue that,” he said.

Pashinyan also pushed back against the view that Armenia receives particularly cheap gas, pointing to the difference between the price at the border and what Armenian consumers ultimately pay.

“Gas in Armenia is not cheap,” he said. “From the border to the consumer, compared with other countries, Armenia sees the largest increase in the price.”

He added that Gazprom Armenia, the local subsidiary of Russia’s state-controlled energy giant Gazprom, remains profitable.

Pashinyan said the government could review parts of the gas distribution system that are currently provided free of charge or under preferential terms if changes in supply costs eventually push prices higher.

“If gas is free until it reaches the yard or the entrance of an apartment building, but the consumer ultimately receives it at a high price, that is no consolation to the consumer,” he said.

The issue of Russian gas prices has taken on greater significance as Armenia seeks closer economic ties with Europe while remaining a member of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union.

Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue during an April 1 meeting with Pashinyan in Moscow, contrasting the price Armenia pays for Russian gas with prices in Europe.

Putin said Russia supplies Armenia with natural gas at $177.50 per 1,000 cubic meters, while European prices exceeded $600 at the time.

“The difference is significant,” Putin said. He also acknowledged disagreements with Pashinyan over how energy prices should be calculated.

Pashinyan’s latest remarks come as his government increasingly emphasizes economic diversification, including finding new export markets and supply routes, as Armenia seeks to reduce vulnerabilities tied to its long-standing dependence on Russia.

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