West seeks geopolitical standoff in South Caucasus Russian Foreign Ministry warns Armenia

According to Caliber.Az, the Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement regarding the recent Armenia-US-EU meeting held in Brussels on April 5, 2024.

The statement claims that this meeting is yet another "collective West" attempt to engage the South Caucasus in a geopolitical conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry considers the interference of external forces in the affairs of the South Caucasus and the attempt to divide countries in the region from their neighbours as irresponsible and destructive. They state that this could lead to negative consequences such as instability, a lack of security, economic problems in the region, the emergence of new dividing lines, and increased tension.

The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that the West intends to use Armenia as a tool to carry out its dangerous plans in the South Caucasus.

"We are aware that Washington and Brussels - under ephemeral promises - are seeking Armenia's withdrawal from the CSTO and the EAEU and the withdrawal of the Russian military base and border guards. We call on the leadership in Yerevan not to let the West deceive them and lead the country down a false path, fraught with the emergence of a security vacuum, serious economic problems, and an outflow of the population," the statement reads. 

In a statement, the ministry urges the leadership in Yerevan not to allow the West to deceive them and steer their country in the wrong direction. The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that Armenia's cooperation with Moscow, EAEU, and CIS has led to a significant increase in trade turnover (fourfold in 2018), economic growth, and improved well-being of the population. They state that the amount of grant support announced in Brussels cannot compare to Armenia's benefits from its relationship with Russia.

The statement further says that Russia intends to strengthen its alliance with Armenia based on fundamental bilateral documents and agreements on common integration associations. They believe that the progressive development of the Russian-Armenian alliance will contribute to the realisation of the fundamental interests of the peoples of Russia and Armenia, strengthening regional security and stability.

The Russian Foreign Ministry states that the West is also attempting to destroy the basis of the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalisation by pressuring Yerevan to suspend the implementation of agreements signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan in 2020-2022. These agreements involved unblocking transport and economic ties, delimiting the border, preparing a peace treaty, and building confidence through contacts with public figures and experts.

"Under pressure from Washington and Brussels, official Yerevan suspended the implementation of these agreements. The parties were close to mutually acceptable solutions on many of them, particularly on the issue of lifting the mutual transport blockade," thee statement reads.

The Russian Foreign Ministry remains ready to assist in achieving peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The ministry calls for the resolution of problematic issues of both regional and bilateral nature in the South Caucasus in accordance with the principle of "regional responsibility" agreed upon during the second meeting of the "3+3" Consultative Platform on October 23, 2023, in Tehran, where Armenia participated. They urge external parties to respect these agreements and Yerevan to consider the concerns of neighbouring countries in its foreign policy decisions.