Zakharova: Russia is ready to develop the South Caucasus based on its interests

At a press briefing. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova referred to the trilateral agreement signed in 2020 by the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan. She noted that neither the agreement nor the role of Russian President Vladimir Putin should be underestimated, emphasizing his significant efforts in implementing the agreements that halted the bloody conflict.

“Two months later, in January 2021, a summit was held in Russia with the participation of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, marking the start of the peace process and creating a trilateral working group to unblock all transport and economic links. Later, the full set of trilateral agreements was formulated based on the November 9, 2020, statement, outlining the main directions of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations,” Zakharova stated.

She added that real, tangible results had been achieved; however, under Western pressure, Yerevan froze its participation in the working group and all trilateral formats. “The EU and the U.S., which sought to assume a mediating role, could not come up with anything new but merely copied our work, all the while distorting its essence in hopes of presenting the peace process under their name. However, the true aim is clear: they want to take control of the region and push Russia, as well as Iran and Turkey, out, thereby creating yet another hub of tension. They don’t care about the South Caucasus, while we, unlike them, are interested in a stable and prosperous South Caucasus,” Zakharova noted, adding that Russia is ready to develop the region as it is in its own interests.