Shoigu accuses West of escalating situation in Caucasus

“We are doing everything possible to stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday, Report informs via TASS.

He said that the CSTO is interested in ensuring peace in the region.

According to the minister, the West is trying to interfere in the negotiation process for the normalization of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations, increase its presence in the region and discredit Russia's peacekeeping policy: “The situation in the region is mostly related to the resolution of the tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russian peacekeepers support security in Karabakh. But the West is trying to intervene in the situation.”

Shoigu said that the main issue for the West is to push Russia out of the South Caucasus: “In this regard, we consider it necessary to continue the work on sending the CSTO mission to the region.”

The Minister of Defense of Russia also commented on Armenia's non-representation at the Minsk meeting of the CSTO: “Armenia's participation in the activities of the CSTO is important for us.”