The new law on the sanctions against Russia is in no way aimed at the neighboring countries of Russia, including Armenia, analyst of Atlantic Council, John Herbst, said in an interview with Voice of America.

Nevertheless, according to him, the inevitable decline in Russia’s economy, which will follow the application of the sanctions, may indirectly impact Armenia as well. Unfortunately, there might be unpredictable negative consequences on Armenia, Kazakhstan and other EAEU members, he added.

According to political scientist Gevorg Melikyan, Armenia is too strongly linked with the Russian economy, the negative impact of the decline of Russian economy being inevitable. He also noted that this will directly affect Armenia both in terms of transfers and import. The occurrence should be a sign for Armenia to diversify its political and economic ties, enhancing the cooperation with other countries, Melikyan added.

Political scientist Suren Sargsyan is also confident that although the direct sanctions are imposed on Russia, they will influence Armenia as well. In his words, the sanctions will not have direct impact on Armenia but there will be indirect consequences, since Russia is the number one partner for Armenia.  

Former analyst of Pentagon, senior expert of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Michael Rubin recalls that the sanctions mainly relate to the oil industry sphere of Russia and cannot directly harm Armenia. At the same time, he stressed that the growing tension between US and Russia, which may turn into a trade war, does not stem from the interests of any country in the South Caucasus.

Because of the tension, Russia may require that the countries in the same alliance with it restrict their ties with the West. Thus, Russia may demand that its neighbors follow the policy conducted by it, in which case Armenia will find itself in a complicated situation.  

However, according to the US experts, the influential Armenian community of the US will try to ensure that the growing tension with Russia and the sanction lifted by the US on that country do not harm Armenia, especially since they were initially aimed at Russia.