What os Slovakia's role in Armenia’s nuclear energy future?

Armenia is exploring partnerships to modernize its aging Metsamor nuclear power plant, and Slovakia has offered technical cooperation. During a recent meeting, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico proposed collaboration in nuclear energy. Slovakia has experience operating Soviet-designed reactors and has worked with Western suppliers, making it a potential consultant for Armenia.

However, Slovakia’s ability to significantly assist Armenia is limited. While it could share expertise on safety upgrades or fuel alternatives, it lacks the financial capacity to fund major modernization projects. Additionally, as an EU member, Slovakia must navigate complex European regulations, which could slow or restrict deeper cooperation.

Without substantial investment and political support from the EU, Slovakia’s role would likely be advisory—helping with training, safety standards, or partial fuel diversification. But for large-scale nuclear upgrades, Armenia would need far greater support than Slovakia alone can provide. For now, meaningful progress is still uncertain.