Georgia Pays More for Russian Gas Than for Azerbaijani for First Time in 18 Years

For the first time in 18 years, Georgia paid more for natural gas imports from Russia than from Azerbaijan during the first quarter of 2025, RFL-Tbilisi bureau said with reference to the Georgian Statistical Office.

Geostat figures show that in the first quarter of 2025, Georgia imported a total of $183.05 million worth of natural gas. Of that amount, $100.6 million was spent on Russian gas, while $82.4 million was spent on Azerbaijani gas. The information on the volume of gas purchased is not published on the website.

The shift marks a notable change in a long-standing trend of the gradual increase of Russian gas share in recent years. Russia used to be Georgia’s natural gas main supplier until 2007. However, following the launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline in 2006, the spy row between Georgia and Russia in 2006, and the August 2008 war, Georgia shifted its focus to the Azerbaijani market.

By 2009, Azerbaijani gas had already overtaken Russian imports. That year, Georgia imported $73.9 million worth of natural gas — $43 million from Azerbaijan and $30.9 million from Russia — with Russian gas purchase accounting for 42% of the total worth, which increased to 55% this year.

Also Read:

• 25/04/2025 – Georgia’s Population 3.704 Million – Geostat
• 13/09/2024 – Geostat: Negative Natural Growth in the First Half of 2024
• 09/12/2024 – Geostat: FDI USD 197.7 Million in Q3’24, Down by 55.2%
• 24/01/2024 – Georgia Increased Natural Gas Imports from Russia by 16.5% in 2023
  
  

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