Yerevan Attempts to Reduce Dependency on Russian Gas, Favoring Azerbaijan

Energy security expert and economist Vahe Davtyan writes: "While official Yerevan continues to develop 'gas discourse' in collaboration with Baku, the international Fitch Solutions agency in its latest report highlights serious issues regarding Azerbaijan's natural gas exports. Specifically, it points out Azerbaijan's contractual overloading, which will create significant problems, especially from 2027 onwards when Baku will be forced to double its exports through the 'Southern Gas Corridor,' reaching 20 bcm.

Notably, Azerbaijan has also been compelled to import natural gas from Russia since 2022 to meet domestic demand. In 2023, Azerbaijan imported 800.6 million cubic meters of gas from Russia on a seasonal basis. In 2024, the volume of imports is expected to reach 1 billion cubic meters. Consequently, it appears that under the guise of grand statements about energy diversification, Yerevan is attempting to reduce its dependence on Russian gas by favoring Azerbaijan, which, in turn, is obligated to increase its imports of the same Russian gas."