This is a bitter pill… Here, swallow it. Vahe Davtyan, Ursula von der Leyen’s Yerevan

Doctor of political sciences, professor, energy security expert Vahe Davtyan writes. “Von der Leyen announced in Yerevan that the EU is ready to support Armenia in case of possible problems related to gas supplies.

The President of the European Commission referred to the rich experience of solving similar problems in Moldova and Ukraine.

Not a bad series, of course.

Moldova, a country that is ready to become part of another state under the name of European integration.

Ukraine, a state stuck in a long war with huge human, territorial and economic losses.

This is not even candy with which they are trying to tempt Armenia. This is a bitter pill. Here, swallow it. As “success stories” for Armenia, states that are themselves in severe crises are presented.

I have a few questions regarding possible support from Brussels. Rhetorical.

1. How long can this support be provided? Short-term subsidies, allocation of grants for solving current problems, maybe not bad. However, it is unlikely that they will solve the issue of ensuring energy security at the systemic level.

2. According to von der Leyen, the EU will also support Armenia in the field of renewable energy. This, of course, is positive, but it is not enough for stable energy supply. RE plants, unlike CHPs and NPPs, have a low installed capacity utilization factor. If it were possible to ensure energy security through RE development, many European countries would not maintain gas generation and would not return to nuclear energy.

3. How to deal with the Armenian gas transport system, which, by the way, is not actually entirely Armenian. A change of ownership? It is unlikely that Brussels means such radical steps by support. Therefore, regardless of the support, the 100% ownership of GTR of Armenia to “Gazprom” remains an important, if not a key factor in the energy reality of the republic.

4. How is geography in the European Commission? Next to Moldova is Romania as a “metropolis” that supplies it with natural gas. Ukraine receives gas in reverse flows, also from Europe. In other words, the EU’s energy support to Moldova and Ukraine has clear geographical bases.

In the case of Armenia, the alternatives are very limited. It is noteworthy that Von der Leyen arrived in Yerevan immediately after his visit to Baku.”

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