The interlocutor of Radar Armenia is international expert Shahan Gantaharyan.
– I want to refer to the Russian President’s visit to Azerbaijan. Why did Putin go on a state visit to Baku? What was its main message?
– We can make several observations. The first is the period. Ukrainian forces have crossed the Russian border, and fierce fighting is going on in the border areas. At such a moment, Putin’s departure to the North Caucasus sends a message to the parties involved and the collective West that the region is still a Russian domain. As it was said, being involved in Ukraine does not mean giving up the South Caucasus.
– The Russian President also touched on regional issues and said that Moscow would be happy to do something for the signing of a peace agreement. How do you interpret his statement?
– Moscow wants to keep the status of mediator and guarantor. The initiative is perceived within the framework of the geopolitical competition in the US-Russia or collective West-Russia relationship. Moscow wants to keep the referee status.
– What was meant by Aliyev’s statement that the peace of the Caucasus depends on the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan?
– I can say two things. First, it confirms the deepening of Moscow-Baku cooperation. Secondly, he wants to say that Yerevan is not a factor in the main regional events.
– The issue of unblocking communications was also touched upon, and Lavrov again accused Armenia of that issue. Later, its spokesperson Zakharova also blamed Armenia. How would you interpret whether Armenia is guilty of not fulfilling point 9 of the tripartite declaration?
Putin’s visit and the statements of Russian officials aim to restart the November statement, in which the Russian factor is the leading actor as a mediator and main guarantor. Essentially, the November agreement has been canceled. Here, the primary violator of the accords is Azerbaijan. Moscow did not manage to restrain Azerbaijan. More precisely, transactional relations between Moscow and Baku deepened step by step.
