Armenia May Lose Duty-Free Access to Russian Market: Which Sectors Are at Risk

The departure of Armenia from the EAEU is expected to significantly affect the export of alcohol, flowers, and fish from the country, as local producers will be deprived of duty-free access to their largest market, Russia, reported "RIA Novosti."

In March 2025, the Armenian Parliament adopted a law to start the process of joining the European Union, which was subsequently confirmed by President Vahagn Khachaturyan in April of the same year. Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, stated that it is impossible to be part of both the EU and the EAEU customs union simultaneously.

According to local agency statistics, in the first quarter of 2026 (more recent data has not yet been published), Armenia exported the most significant volume of strong alcohol to Russia, valued at $66.9 million. This category of goods accounts for nearly 86 percent of total exports to Russia.

In the first quarter of the current year, the following significant exports included plants, primarily flowers, which Armenia supplied to the Russian market worth $12.2 million, constituting 88 percent of their total exports. Fish supplies reached $17.6 million (98 percent), coffee $11.6 million (89 percent), and ferrous metals, mainly ferroalloys and flat products, amounted to $8.8 million (31 percent).

Moreover, the top-10 supplies from Armenia to Russia also included orthopedic products worth $27.1 million (99.9 percent), footwear valued at $14.7 million (96 percent), chocolates and chocolate products totaling $5.9 million (70 percent), as well as mineral and carbonated waters with additives reaching $5.6 million (89 percent).

"Rosselkhoznadzor" announced that from June 12, it will restrict the import of all quarantine products from Armenia and the transit of goods from Russia to other EAEU member states. As clarified by Sergey Dankvert, head of "Rosselkhoznadzor," the restrictions on Armenian agricultural product supplies are due to a lack of effective quality control by producers, rather than political reasons.