Zakharova: We were close to unblocking regional routes, but Yerevan froze participation

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia were close to restoring transport routes in the region in June 2023, but under Western pressure, Yerevan suspended its participation in working groups and all trilateral formats, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

Report informs via Russian media that she said the significance of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, cannot be overestimated. She recalled that in January 2021, a summit was held in Moscow with the participation of Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders. This summit launched the peace process, and within its framework, a trilateral working group was formed under the leadership of deputy prime ministers of the three countries.

Furthermore, based on the agreement, an entire system of trilateral arrangements was built, including areas such as peace treaty development, lifting transport blockades, border delimitation and demarcation, and developing contacts between civil societies of the countries.

"Thanks to this foundation, we managed to achieve real, significant results on many issues," she noted.

However, according to her, the US and EU, acting as mediators, offered nothing new and only reproduced Russian developments while distorting their essence. Zakharova added that in reality, the West seeks to control the peace process to strengthen its influence in the region and push out Russia, Iran, and Turkiye.

"The fate of the South Caucasus peoples means nothing to them; they are driven only by their own ambitions. Unlike the West, we are sincerely interested in the security, stability, and prosperity of the South Caucasus. This region is a zone of our historical, economic, and humanitarian interests. We are ready to contribute to its development, as this is the foundation for stability and security," Zakharova emphasized.