Russia attempts to downplay US role in diplomatic breakthrough between Azerbaijan and Armenia

Almost a day after the summit between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on it, saying that the final settlement between Baku and Yerevan must take Moscow's opinion into account.

Source: Zakharova's comments were published by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zakharova paid little attention to the agreements between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but was quick to emphasise that they had repeatedly stated their unwillingness to seek "outside help".

"It is worth recalling that the current stage of Armenian-Azerbaijani normalisation began with the direct assistance and central role of Russia," the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry continued.

She also said that the "optimal option" for resolving the conflict in the South Caucasus should involve only the countries of the region and their neighbors — "Russia, Iran, Türkiye" — that is, not the United States.

"We will additionally analyse Washington's statements regarding the unblocking of regional communications. In this area, the trilateral agreements involving Russia remain relevant, and none of the parties has withdrawn from them," Zakharova emphasised, recalling the presence of Russian border guards in Armenia.

Background: 

• It should be recalled that Azerbaijan and Armenia have been in a state of war since declaring independence more than 30 years ago, and in 2020 and 2023, Azerbaijan regained control over Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of military action.
• On 8 August, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed an agreement at the White House in the presence of US President Donald Trump to create a transit corridor and called it a "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity".

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