Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed today that Armenia’s decision to build a new small modular nuclear reactor will be guided strictly by economic and technical considerations, rather than geopolitical alignments.
Speaking during a Q&A session at the National Assembly, Pashinyan stressed that the government has already made a strategic decision in favor of a small modular reactor and is now assessing proposals from several partners.
“We have made a strategic decision: our next nuclear reactor will be small and modular. The question now is with whom we will build it,” Pashinyan said. “We are holding transparent and practical discussions with all partners who have the technology — the United States, Russia, China, South Korea, and France. We have asked each of them whether they would object if we discuss the matter with others, and all have said no.”
The Prime Minister underlined that Armenia’s choice will not carry political undertones. “When I travel to Moscow, some claim the decision has been made for Russia; when we sign a memorandum with the United States, they say it is for Washington. If we go to China, the same speculation arises. I want to stress: we are not placing any geopolitical or foreign policy component in this decision. We want the best offer in terms of price, safety, technology, and timeframe,” he noted.
Pashinyan added that expert teams are visiting different countries to study and evaluate available technologies, and that a final decision and contract will be made within the next one to two years.
“Please, no one should look for geopolitical motives here. We want a small nuclear reactor that is safe, affordable, and can be delivered in the shortest possible timeframe,” the Prime Minister concluded.
