Armenia is taking steps to reduce its energy dependence on Russia by starting talks with Turkmenistan on natural gas supplies. This was stated by adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic Artashes Tumanyan during a meeting of the Armenian-Turkmen intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. According to him, Yerevan intends to conclude an agreement with the state concern Turkmengaz, which provides for the purchase of gas using the SWOP scheme through the territory of Iran. Tehran has already expressed its readiness to participate in the project, which confirms its interest in expanding transit opportunities.

The volumes of supplies discussed by the parties amount to between 600 million and 1 billion cubic meters of gas annually. However, as Tumanyan noted, the negotiations have not yet led to a final agreement on the key issue - the cost of fuel. This aspect remains the subject of further discussions, the outcome of which largely determines the implementation of the project. In addition to direct purchases for its own needs, Armenia is considering the possibility of becoming a transit country for Turkmen gas. In particular, this concerns supplies to Georgia, which has already given preliminary consent to participate in the initiative. The success of this plan could open access to Turkmen fuel for the countries of the Black Sea region, which will strengthen Yerevan's position as a regional player in the energy sector.

Today, the main supplier of gas to Armenia remains Russia's Gazprom, which provides almost all of the country's consumption. However, the desire to diversify energy sources has become a priority for the republic's authorities in the context of geopolitical changes. Turkmenistan, which has some of the world's largest gas reserves, is already actively cooperating with other countries under the SWOP scheme. For example, Azerbaijan annually receives 1,5-2 billion cubic meters of fuel from Ashgabat via Iran, which demonstrates the well-developed nature of such a mechanism.

According to Armenpress news agency as of March 2025, negotiations between Armenia and Turkmenistan have been ongoing for several years, and the latest discussions within the intergovernmental commission in Yerevan have given them new impetus.