Russian President Vladimir Putin today, at the Kremlin, thanked Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan for accepting Russia's invitation to attend this week's World Atomic Forum in Moscow.

Putin, according to Pashinyan’s office, said Rosatom (Russia’s Atomic Energy Corporation) is now  working to extend the life of Armenia’s Metzamor nuclear power plant.

In 2023, Armenia agreed to pay US$65 million to Rusatom Service, a Rosatom subsidiary, to extend the life of the Metzamor nuclear power plant’s second unit until 2036.

Putin added that the trade volume between the two countries hit a new high of $11.7 billion in 2024 and that relations between Moscow and Yerevan are developing across other sectors as well.

Pashinyan said that nuclear energy is of vital importance to Armenia and that his administration is discussing building small modular nuclear capabilities in Armenia with Rosatom.

“Of course, the agenda of our relations is very rich, and we have many issues to discuss,” said Pashinyan.