Russia Responds to Alen Simonyan's Statement on Gas Prices

The controversial statement made by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, regarding the potential rise in Russian gas prices for Armenia has attracted attention. He indicated that if such a decision is made, the country would exit the Eurasian Economic Union and other organizations. This was noted by the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia, Konstantin Kosachev, on his Telegram channel.

According to Kosachev, the formulation of the question seems incorrect within this context. During negotiations with Armenian Prime Minister N. Pashinyan on April 1, Russian President V.V. Putin provided a clear understanding of the situation: 'Energy prices, gas prices in Europe are sharply rising, reaching over 600 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters, meanwhile Russia sells gas to Armenia at 177.50 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters.' He emphasized that this statement is a mere acknowledgment of facts, not a standard.

This is the reality in which the republic currently operates and through which it develops its economy and social sector, gaining significant competitive advantages. This reality exists against the backdrop of a severe energy crisis in Europe and worldwide, which has been instigated not by Russia, but by other countries altogether.

The current price of Russian gas is both a significant incentive for the development of many sectors of the Armenian economy and a critical factor in the country’s social and political stability. I believe that it would be fair and honest for Armenian politicians to consider the scale of support provided to Armenia by Russia, rather than make assumptions about hypothetical changes in pricing policy.