The Kremlin said that Armenia could lose the preferential price for Russian gas if it abandons integration with Russia and moves closer to the European Union.
Reuters reports this.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Armenia is currently receiving Russian gas at a "very attractive" price, but such conditions do not apply to countries that are members of other integration associations.
"The pricing structure there is completely different. It is based on market principles," Peskov said.
Armenia is part of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union and is heavily dependent on Russian energy supplies.
At the same time, in recent years Yerevan has been trying to cooperate more actively with the EU. In particular, last year the country adopted a law on the beginning of the process of joining the European Union.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that Yerevan does not plan to sever economic or political ties with Moscow.
- In April, during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Putin emphasized that Yerevan pays $177.5 per 1 000 cubic meters for Russian gas, while in Europe the price exceeds $600. Putin also stated that it would be "logical" for Armenia to hold a referendum on its desire to join the EU.
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