Moscow has said it will have no difficulty replacing Armenian goods after Yerevan imposed a six-month ban on tomato paste imports, citing the impact of Russia’s restrictions on Armenian agricultural exports.

The Armenian government’s decision applies both to imports from third countries and to supplies from fellow member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Armenian officials said the measure is intended to support domestic food processors and farmers. The government explicitly linked the decision to Russia’s restrictions on the import and transit of Armenian agricultural products. According to the authorities, reduced access to the Russian market has created a surplus of fruit and vegetables, including greenhouse-grown tomatoes, leading to weaker demand for locally produced goods.

The government expects the temporary ban on tomato paste imports to boost the processing of domestically grown produce, support farmers, and help stabilize the domestic market.

Against this backdrop, Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said the Russian economy does not depend on imports from Armenia.

According to Reshetnikov, Armenia’s exports to Russia and other EAEU member states are relatively modest, while the Eurasian Economic Union remains the primary destination for Armenian exports and the main source of key imports for Armenia itself.

“Within the framework of the Union’s common gas market, Russia supplies natural gas to Armenia at a price of $177.5 per 1,000 cubic metres. Compared with current European prices, which exceed $600, this can only be described as a subsidy. Its value amounts to around $1 billion a year,” Reshetnikov said.

The minister also commented on another contentious issue in Russian-Armenian relations — the future of the South Caucasus Railway, which is operated by a subsidiary of Russian Railways (RZD).

Reshetnikov said the railway is not a “free” asset held by the Russian company and argued that Yerevan’s demand for additional compensation in the event of any revision of the existing agreements is unfounded.

A day earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the dispute over the South Caucasus Railway could be referred to international arbitration if the parties fail to resolve their differences through negotiations. He stressed that the railway is the property of Armenia and that the state has the sovereign right to manage it as it sees fit.

The latest statements from Moscow and Yerevan come amid escalating trade tensions between the two countries. In recent months, Russia has repeatedly restricted imports of Armenian agricultural products, citing phytosanitary requirements, while Armenian officials have described the measures as discriminatory and inconsistent with the rules of the Eurasian Economic Union. The ban on tomato paste imports marks Armenia’s first major restrictive trade measure that the government has explicitly linked to the consequences of Russia’s trade restrictions.