AZE.US
Turkey could provide Armenia with virtually everything the country currently receives from Russia, but Yerevan must first normalize relations with Ankara and Baku and overcome deep-rooted anti-Azerbaijani sentiment, Armenian analyst Ishkhan Verdyan said.
Verdyan made the remarks during an interview on Vitaly Barvinenko’s YouTube channel.
According to the analyst, Armenia’s energy system remains heavily dependent on Russia. That dependence extends beyond the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant to other facilities that are either owned by Russian companies or rely on Russian supplies and technical support.
Verdyan argued that diversifying Armenia’s energy sector should become a government priority. Potential alternatives, he said, include not only Western countries but also Armenia’s immediate neighbors – Turkey and Azerbaijan.
“Everything Russia currently provides to Armenia can be provided by Turkey,” Verdyan said, pointing to the proximity of Turkey’s eastern regions and their existing infrastructure.
He also recalled previous official statements about the possible connection of the Armenian and Azerbaijani power grids. Such plans, he said, suggest that a practical foundation for future regional cooperation already exists.
Verdyan linked the issue to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s recent statements on the development of transport and energy infrastructure in the region. In his assessment, projects crossing Armenian territory would only be viable under conditions of lasting peace.
“If Azerbaijan is considering infrastructure that would provide connections through Armenia, that means Baku is betting on stability and predictability,” he said. “Such infrastructure could not function during a war.”
Verdyan therefore argued that another military confrontation with Armenia is not part of Azerbaijan’s plans. Instead, he said, Baku is interested in opening regional communications and establishing predictable conditions for all participants.
Armenian society, however, is not yet fully prepared for this new reality, according to the analyst. He identified years of messaging portraying Azerbaijanis and Turks exclusively as enemies as a major obstacle to normalization.
Verdyan said public attitudes could be changed not only through political statements but also through tangible economic cooperation.
“Perhaps there is no need for aggressive propaganda,” he said. “A joint business project could set an example and gradually bring everything else along. The important thing is to begin.”
The analyst maintained that Armenia faces no threat from Azerbaijan or Turkey, provided that nationalist hostility and ethnic hatred are rejected.
Normalizing relations with both neighbors, reopening borders and creating shared infrastructure could allow Armenia to reduce its critical dependence on Russia while strengthening its economic and energy security, Verdyan concluded.
AZE.US