Russia supports Armenia-Azerbaijan direct dialogue, Zakharova says

Russia has expressed respect for Armenia and Azerbaijan’s decision to pursue the normalisation of bilateral relations through direct dialogue, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

Speaking at a briefing on July 24 Zakharova noted that “Russia is interested in a stable, secure, peaceful, and prosperous South Caucasus,” emphasising that long-awaited reconciliation between Baku and Yerevan is a necessary condition for this, Caliber.Az reports per Russian Media. 

She recalled that "with the direct assistance of Russia and personally President Vladimir Putin, a major phase of Armenian-Azerbaijani normalisation was launched in 2020." She noted that Armenia and Azerbaijan eventually chose to engage in direct bilateral talks, a choice that Russia respects, as these countries need to negotiate and live as neighbours. 

"At a certain point, Armenia and Azerbaijan preferred direct bilateral dialogue, and we respect that choice. After all, it is about the fact that they have to negotiate and live with each other, as neighbours. So if they have found an opportunity for direct dialogue — yes, that is their choice, and it means that much of what we have talked about is coming to fruition," she said. 

The Russian side remains ready to provide any requested assistance to the partners, Zakharova confirmed. However, she warned that Western countries are attempting to pull the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process out of the regional framework. According to Zakharova, “Western powers aim to put the reconciliation process on their own track,” which she suggested is typically a move to score political points and declare new successes for their efforts.

She cautioned that such interference could destabilise the regional security system and undermine the principle of regional self-sufficiency, where South Caucasus states and their immediate neighbours manage local issues. Zakharova also mentioned that Moscow has “observed attempts by Washington to interfere with the lifting of the transport blockade in the region.”

Finally, Zakharova stated that “Washington offers nothing new beyond what has already been achieved through the trilateral working group co-chaired by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.”

By Sabina Mammadli