Russia blames Armenia for breakdown of Azerbaijan peace talks
Al JazeeraNov 23, 2022
The Facts
Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday accused Armenia of abandoning peace talks with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, citing significant differences between Yerevan's official statements and its actions while urging its return to negotiations.
This statement comes a month after Armenia pulled out of peace talks. Its Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Tuesday that the country would not host Russian-led post-Soviet Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CTSO) military drills, deeming Russian military presence a security threat.
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Russia has been committed to providing a platform for peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but Yerevan has shown ambiguous signs of whether it is interested in solving the problems within the Russian-proposed framework or pursuing a Western-backed solution to this conflict. If Armenians are really willing to implement the trilateral agreements, they ought to return to negotiations.
Anti-Russia narrative
Moscow has turned its back on Yerevan despite evidence that Azerbaijan had violated its CSTO ally's sovereignty. The Kremlin is no longer interested in the South Caucasus region and has to deal with ongoing military failures in Ukraine. After Russia has proved to be an untrustworthy and weak partner, it is time for Armenia to diversify its foreign policy portfolio and security alliances.
