Armenia Diversifies Gas Imports Amid Geopolitical Tensions with Moscow

Armenia's government is seeking to diversify its natural gas imports in response to supply suspensions and potential price hikes from Russian state energy giant Gazprom.

The country currently relies on Russia for approximately 82% of its natural gas imports, which are delivered via the North Caucasus-Transcaucasia pipeline running through Georgia.

Armenian officials have announced plans to purchase natural gas from neighboring countries, including historical adversaries Azerbaijan and Turkey, in a strategic pivot designed to reduce the country's near-total reliance on Russian energy imports.

The announcement by Alen Simonyan, Secretary of Armenia's Security Council, marks a significant shift in the South Caucasus energy landscape. Driven by escalating geopolitical tensions with Moscow and sudden supply interruptions by Gazprom, Yerevan is pursuing diversification as a core component of its economic security and national independence.

Simonyan stated that the government aims to dismantle this monopoly by securing alternative energy partners and integrating into the broader regional energy grid. He noted that the true cost of Russian gas cannot be measured solely in dollars, given its historical use as a 'political currency' by Moscow to enforce regional compliance.