Khachatryan warns over ties with Russia and Armenia’s gas prices

Armenia’s opposition criticizes the government’s foreign policy amid Russia-Europe tensions

Sevak Khachatryan, an MP from the opposition Armenia bloc in Armenia’s parliament, said Europe shows interest in Armenia to the extent that it distances itself from Russia. Khachatryan warned that worsening relations with Moscow could raise natural gas prices.

Scraper SystemSeptember 23, 2026, 02:50 PM

Armenia’s opposition criticizes the government’s foreign policy amid Russia-Europe tensions

Sevak Khachatryan, an MP from the opposition Armenia bloc in Armenia’s parliament, said his country attracts Europe’s interest to the extent that it can be used against Russia. Khachatryan argued that European countries would not show interest in Armenia unless it distanced itself completely from Moscow.

Khachatryan said Armenian officials had failed to understand what Europe expected from Armenia, stating, "They want us to the extent that we can harm Russia or completely break away from it. Otherwise, we do not attract their interest." The MP also questioned why Armenia was complying with these demands.

Warning over gas supplies amid tensions with Moscow

Khachatryan said the price of natural gas supplied to Armenia could rise if relations with Russia deteriorated. The MP said the opposition had previously warned about this issue and cited the Armenian central bank governor’s assessment that the economy could face a very difficult situation under such circumstances.

Khachatryan said Armenian authorities were trying to obtain natural gas from different countries and argued that the current price level could not be maintained. The MP claimed that this would be the result of the government’s foreign policy.

Gas prices charged to Armenia

Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said on July 30 that Russia sells natural gas to Armenia for $177.50 per 1,000 cubic meters. Reshetnikov said current gas prices in Europe were above $600 and that the difference amounted to an annual subsidy of approximately $1 billion.

EU membership and supply agreements

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in May that it had sent a letter to Yerevan. The ministry said Russia could unilaterally suspend or terminate its cooperation agreement on the supply of natural gas, petroleum products and rough diamonds if Armenia continued its process of joining the European Union.

Armenia’s opposition criticizes the government’s foreign policy amid Russia-Europe tensions