Armenia criticizes Russia's role in its conflict with Azerbaijan
The situation is tense again between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
On February 22, the Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinian, told our colleagues at France 24 that Baku is preparing a new war against his country.
He also accuses Russia of doing nothing to defend it and therefore announced “
freezing
” Armenian participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a military alliance dominated by Moscow.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in Yerevan on February 15, 2024. AFP - HANDOUT
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with our regional correspondent in the South Caucasus,
Régis Genté
Moscow took badly to Armenia's announcement that it was freezing its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (
CSTO
).
In a recent interview, the Russian ambassador to Armenia, Sergei Kopyrkin, was threatening, albeit in covert words, but he spoke of “
betrayal
”.
Also read: Why Armenia's anger towards Russia is growing
Participation in the CSTO is seen by Russians as a sign of loyalty to Moscow.
There, Nikol Pashinian is not talking about Armenia's withdrawal from the CSTO, but we are approaching a critical moment.
The Armenian Prime Minister also speaks, implicitly, of treason.
If he came to this decision to “
freeze
” his country’s participation in the CSTO, it is because it did not respect its commitments by not coming to the aid of Armenia.
when Azerbaijan attacked it
.
Baku today occupies more than 200 km² of Armenian territory.
Also read: Nakhichevan, the new powder keg of the Caucasus?
Can Paris really influence the fate of the region?
In this very sensitive context, France continues to equip the Armenian army with defense systems.
The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, was in Yerevan on February 23 in this context.
France has strengthened Armenia's defense capabilities.
The territory of Armenia is really threatened, in particular with a road that Azerbaijan
would
like to open through the south of the country to be directly connected to its exclaved province of Nakhichevan.
The Nakhchivan enclave.
© FMM Graphic Studio
In this context, the danger for Yerevan comes as much from Azerbaijan, and its Turkish ally, as from Russia.
By choosing, from the “second Karabakh war” at the end of 2020, to side with Armenia,
Paris lost its historic role as mediator
between Baku and Yerevan.
And no one can say, at this stage, whether this is an advantage for Armenia.
As for Russia, which sees the South Caucasus as another front in its war against the West, if it decided to destabilize Armenia, France would probably be unable to come and support it.
Also see on France 24 “Azerbaijan is preparing an attack against Armenia”, according to the Armenian Prime Minister
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Armenia
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