YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — Armenia’s exports fell by more than 20 percent year on year last month following unprecedented trade restrictions imposed by Russia, the South Caucasus country’s main trading partner, according to official statistics.
Although the Armenian government’s Statistical Committee has not yet released a country-by-country breakdown of exports in June or the first half of this year, the sharp fall clearly resulted from the sanctions highlighting heightened tensions between Moscow and Yerevan.
Citing sanitary grounds, the Russian authorities blocked in late May and early June multimillion-dollar imports of Armenian fruits, vegetables, mineral water, flowers, fish and some alcoholic beverages. Moscow imposed the sanctions as it pressed Yerevan to quickly choose between continuing to seek membership of the European Union and remaining part of a Russian-led trade bloc.
Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan touted over the weekend sharp rises in first-half Armenian exports to the EU, China and India. However, Papoyan pointedly declined to give any absolute numbers or mention the fact that overall exports fell by 6.7 percent in January-June 2026.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has downplayed the impact of the Russian sanctions on the Armenian economy. Papoyan likewise cited Statistical Committee data showing that economic growth in the country remained robust in June. By contrast, the World Bank expressed concern at possible consequences of the embargo earlier this month.
“Should the [Russian] ban continue and widen without mitigation measures, the negative impacts could spill beyond trade and affect growth, prices and social conditions,” it warned in a report.
