Ministero degli Esteri russo: il collettivo Occidente, al seguito dell’Ucraina, cerca di destabilizzare la situazione nel Caucaso meridionale

Full statements from a Russian website

>“The countries of the collective West, in attempts to inflict a strategic defeat on the Russian Federation, are trying to destabilize the situation in the South Caucasus. This is stated in the message of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation following the meeting of the Ministry’s colleague **”On the Promotion of Russian Interests in the South Caucasus”**, chaired by the head of the diplomatic department Sergei Lavrov.

>”It is emphasized that in order to strategically defeat Russia, **the collective West** – following Ukraine – **seeks** to destabilize the situation in other parts of the post-Soviet space, including the South Caucasus, **to undermine the relations of alliance and partnership between Russia and the countries of the region, to destroy the existing mechanisms of collective security and economic partnership**,”

(EAEU and CSTO)

>The report also recognizes the need to continue efforts to **fully implement the set of trilateral agreements between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, including the negotiation of a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan**, the unblocking of transport communications in the region and the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

This comes right after Aliyev’s speech on the trilateral agreement as well. Spokesperson of Azerbaijan said that yesterday’s meeting was positive.

And now they are clearly on the same page as well.

>”The tasks of strengthening the connection and self-sufficiency of the region in order to solve the problems facing it, primarily by the forces of the regionals themselves without external interference,” the text says. – In this context, **the special importance of using the potential of the regional advisory platform “3+3″** (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia plus Iran, Russia, Turkey) was emphasized.

This will get support by Iran, and maybe Turkey. Russia wasn’t very happy about it back in 2022.

Russia has “accepted” its fate, and sounds like they are admitting that they no longer have the full control of their “backyard”.

An interesting policy brief by the Netherlands Institue of International Relations on the new “Caucasus” here https://www.clingendael.org/publication/how-syria-ukraine-and-gaza-are-transforming-power-dynamics-caucasus

>**Iran has tended to view the Caucasus as part of Russia’s sphere of influence**. The reduction of Russia’s ability to play the concomitant rules of regional facilitator, and guardian of stability – **the result of Moscow invasion of Ukraine – has changed Tehran’s perception**.

>The invasion of Ukraine has given Russia, Iran, and Turkey, a stronger base of common interest to identify and undertake joint, diplomatic, security and economic initiatives.

>**Israel invasion of Gaza has further accelerated this process** due to the anti-Israel views that dominate among the political establishments of all three countries.

>…Yet relations between Tehran, Moscow and Ankara remain fraught. The testing ground for their new partnership is in south Armenia.

They’re interesting insight on the relationship between Azerbaijan-Turkey and Iran-Armenia in the face of the Gaza conflict and the Israeli-Azerbaijani relationship.

Another factor is the fact that Israel did not attack Iran last week through Azerbaijan, or at least it wasn’t admitted by the Iranian ambassador.

The longer we stay in the Russian sphere, the faster they will force us into submission. Leaving the CSTO is an urgent priority and task; Armenia’s independence depends on it. Of course, this should be just the start.

Russia vs taking responsibility for its traitorous actions towards its allies challenge