On April 8, Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, commented on a statement by Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry calling on Russia to refrain from mentioning the former separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region, describing such a position as contradictory. She noted that such remarks come despite Baku regularly expressing views on territories referred to by Moscow as new Russian entities, while continuing to regard them as part of Ukraine. Zakharova emphasized that Russia, including Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, played a key role in resolving the conflict over the former separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region, stressing that Moscow’s efforts in this direction date back to the 1990s.

According to her, it was due to these efforts that active hostilities were halted in the fall of 2020, while Russian peacekeepers ensured the ceasefire for nearly four years. She added that Russia’s involvement became a crucial factor in launching the current phase of normalization between Armenia and Azerbaijan, based on trilateral agreements reached between 2020 and 2022.

Zakharova also referred to the outcomes of the European Union-mediated summit held in Prague on October 6, 2022, where Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity in line with the UN Charter and the 1991 Almaty Declaration. She noted that in recent years, Baku and Yerevan have increasingly opted for direct dialogue without intermediaries, adding that Moscow has responded with understanding and has consistently supported constructive steps toward sustainable peace.

She further emphasized the importance of the initialing of the agreement on peace and interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia in August 2025, as well as the decision by the OSCE to dissolve the Minsk Group institutions effective December 1, 2025, which, she noted, formalized the completion of the settlement process.

At the same time, Zakharova underlined that substantial work remains, including the signing of a comprehensive peace treaty, the restoration of transport and economic links, border delimitation and demarcation, and confidence-building between the two nations. She stated that Russia will continue to support these efforts at the request of both Baku and Yerevan. “The current stage of the settlement requires consolidating the achieved results,” she emphasized, expressing hope that normalization will become irreversible.

Zakharova also commented on statements by Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, regarding a possible response by Yerevan to changes in Russian gas prices. Reacting critically, she dismissed the remarks as emotional and inconsistent. “It’s a bit reminiscent of the story of threatening a hedgehog by revealing one’s capabilities,” she stated, adding that she did not consider such statements worthy of serious comment.

She recalled previous contradictory remarks about Armenia’s potential withdrawal from the CSTO and stressed that such issues should primarily be assessed within Armenia. “I think that Armenian citizens should be the first to comment on this,” Zakharova stated, noting that these politicians shape the country’s domestic and foreign policy.

Addressing energy cooperation, Zakharova referred to the April 1 meeting in Moscow between Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, where gas supply terms were discussed. She noted that Armenia currently receives Russian gas at $177.50, compared to prices reaching $600 in Europe. “This example isn’t an emotional one, it’s a fact,” she emphasized.

She highlighted the importance of energy security, particularly amid volatility in global gas markets linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East, including US and Israeli actions against Iran. According to her, governments must focus on avoiding the risks posed by such instability.

Zakharova also addressed Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, recalling that the country joined the bloc in 2015. She cited data indicating that Armenia’s GDP has nearly tripled over the past decade, rising from $10.5 billion to $29.2 billion, describing this as a foundation of the country’s economic development.

Touching upon the CSTO, she described the organization as a key mechanism for ensuring the security of its members, including Armenia, while noting that Yerevan’s participation is currently effectively frozen as a result of decisions taken by its authorities.

In a separate comment, Zakharova addressed the potential impact of upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia on relations with Russia and cooperation within the CSTO. She referred to discussions held during the April 1 meeting between Putin and Pashinyan and reiterated Moscow’s principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other states. “We do not interfere in the domestic political affairs of other states,” she stated.

At the same time, she emphasized the historically close ties between Russia and Armenia, including cultural and societal links, as well as the presence of a large Armenian diaspora in Russia. “This is not a business project, but part of the historical essence,” Zakharova stated.

She added that while Russia does not interfere, it remains interested in ensuring that Armenian citizens can freely express their will in elections. She stressed the importance of democratic standards and equal participation, while noting that recent amendments to Armenia’s Electoral Code, adopted rapidly, raise certain concerns.

“The main thing is that this is not used to deliberately limit the opposition’s electoral opportunities,” Zakharova emphasized, recalling earlier statements by Nikol Pashinyan affirming Armenia’s commitment to democratic principles.

Concluding her remarks, Zakharova reiterated that Armenia remains a full member of the CSTO from a legal standpoint, despite ongoing speculation. “We are, of course, interested in the Armenian side returning to full participation in our shared security structure,” she stated.

https://caucasuswatch.de/en/news/zakharova-defends-russias-role-in-nagorno-karabakh-settlement-emphasizes-relations-with-armenia-and-azerbaijan.html