Kopyrkin: Strengthening peace and stability in the South Caucasus is  an indisputable priority for Russia

ArmInfo.Strengthening peace and stability in the South Caucasus is one of the   fundamental priorities of Russia's foreign policy, as stated by  Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin in an interview with  the "Syunyats Yerkir" newspaper.

According to him, within this framework, Moscow naturally supports  any efforts aimed at normalizing relations between Armenia and  Azerbaijan.

"Regarding the so-called 'Trump Route,' Russia's position will be  formulated once we have a detailed understanding of how this  transport project will be implemented. As far as we know, this work  is only just beginning. Details regarding cargo and passenger transit  regimes and traffic safety have yet to be agreed upon. Efforts to  unblock transport links in the region will require consideration of  the circumstances surrounding Armenia's membership in the EAEU, as  well as the presence of Russian border guards on the Armenian-Iranian  border, based on bilateral documents. I would also like to add that  the Russian side is open to consultations on these issues with both  Armenian partners and other interested parties, including Tehran,"  the Russian Ambassador said.

When asked whether the statement of November 9, 2020, and the  Washington Declaration of August 8, 2025 could function jointly,  Kopyrkin recalled that Russia and President Vladimir Putin had  personally laid the foundation for the Armenian-Azerbaijani  reconciliation process. According to him, the trilateral agreements  reached by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan in  2020-2022 not only stopped the bloodshed on the ground but also  defined the main directions for the normalization process between  Yerevan and Baku, including the development of a peace treaty, the  unblocking of economic and transport communications, the delimitation  and demarcation of the border, and the development of civil society  contacts.

"The provisions of these agreements remain relevant today. None of  the leaders has withdrawn their signatures from the relevant  statements. How they will correlate in practice with the Washington  Declaration of August 8, 2025, is a subject of discussion among the  parties involved. We proceed from the assumption that mutually  acceptable solutions will be found by mutual agreement and on terms  that meet the interests of both Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as  all regional powers, including Russia and Iran, which are actively  cooperating within the EAEU," the Ambassador stated. He hastened to  mention the "3+3" regional cooperation platform, involving the  countries of the South Caucasus and their immediate neighbors, a  platform that provides an opportunity for substantive discussions on  pressing regional issues.  He noted that the Russian side expects   their Armenian and Azerbaijani partners to  determine the order in  which to host the next meeting at the level of foreign ministers in  this format as soon as possible.

"Separating Russia from the South Caucasus is a clearly senseless  undertaking. Neither geography,  shared history, nor the depth of  Russia's multifaceted ties with the Transcaucasian states allow this.  Nevertheless, certain external players express such absurd ideas,  only revealing their own aspirations and a lack of understanding of  regional realities. I reiterate: Russia's inextricable link with the  South Caucasus predetermines our vital interest in lasting peace and  stability in the region, in its prosperity and the unleashing of its  transport potential," Kopyrkin concluded.