It is illogical to threaten Armenia, for example, with higher gas prices, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in response to statements coming from Russia.

He stressed that there is an answer to such threats: “We will have much more money so that it will not seem expensive to us,” RFE/RL reported.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had stated that the preferential gas price could become market-based if Yerevan decides to leave the Eurasian Economic Union. Russian State Duma Security and Anti-Corruption Committee Deputy Chairman Andrey Lugovoy had proposed reconsidering Russia’s gas-related privileges granted to Armenia.

“The people of Armenia must have an alternative — whether to be part of the EAEU or part of the European Union. I am not the one who will decide that — you will decide it. My task is for you to have alternatives, and you do have alternatives. Our partners who respond to this with threats, even hidden ones, are acting against themselves, because they should make proposals to the Armenian people and say, ‘we will do this good thing and that good thing.’ Instead, they are saying, ‘we will do this bad thing,’” Pashinyan said.

Emphasizing that Armenia is now becoming a crossroads of peace, the prime minister added: “That means Armenia will not be a country of thousands or millions — Armenia will become a country of billions and trillions.”

Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure said it had not received any official notification from Moscow regarding the possible cancellation of agreements.

The ministry stated that Armenia had not received any letter or document from Russia threatening cancellation of agreements on fuel and rough diamond supplies, Armenpress reported.

Earlier, Kommersant daily reported that Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev had sent a letter to Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure warning about the possibility of unilateral termination of the gas agreement. According to the report, the letter stated that Russia could unilaterally suspend or cancel the agreement signed in December 2013 on supplies of natural gas, petroleum products and rough diamonds to Armenia if official Yerevan continued the process of joining the European Union.

At the same time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that the Russian Embassy had officially delivered Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev’s letter addressed to Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, RIA Novosti reported.

“The letter informs that if the process of joining the European Union continues, the Russian side will unilaterally suspend or cancel the December 2, 2013, agreement on cooperation in the field of natural gas, petroleum products and rough natural diamond supplies,” she said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 9 that it would be appropriate for Armenia to hold a referendum on further development of cooperation with the European Union. According to him, Russia could then draw appropriate conclusions and proceed toward a “civilized divorce.” Armenian authorities continue to insist that they are not inclined to escalate relations with Russia.