OREANDA-NEWS   Armenia will have little chance of replacing Russian gas supplies in the event of the termination of the bilateral long-term agreement. This was stated by Sergey Kaufman, an analyst at FG Finam, quoted by TASS.

In fact, the expert noted, Armenia has two alternative gas suppliers — Iran and Azerbaijan. Theoretically, Tehran could increase fuel exports, but this requires stabilization of the situation in the Middle East. The implementation of such a scenario in the foreseeable future seems unlikely, Kaufman explained.

As for Azerbaijan, normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan is needed to increase fuel supplies from this country. Historically, the two countries have had difficult relations. The main disagreements now remain issues related to borders, as well as the unblocking of transport communications (the Zangezur issue). Even if these problems can be resolved soon, Kaufman stated, the cost of Azerbaijani gas for Armenia is likely to be much higher than the current prices for Russian fuel.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the price of Russian gas for Armenia is significantly lower compared to the cost of domestic fuel supplies for European countries. In the first case, we are talking about 177.5 dollars per thousand cubic meters, and in the second — about 600 dollars.

Armenia's simultaneous membership in the EAEU and the EU is impossible, the Kremlin has repeatedly warned, urging Yerevan to make a choice. If the foreign policy course towards rapprochement with the EU continues, the agreement on Russian gas supplies to Armenia will be suspended, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, summed up.