Russia cannot leave South Caucasus, envoy says

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopyrkin, reflecting on 2025 and Armenian‑Russian relations during the Abovyan TIME program, said that despite current difficulties and external pressures, Armenian‑Russian ties have not lost their foundation, Sputnik Armenia reports.

He stated that Russia physically cannot leave the South Caucasus and is ready to support communication projects.

Regarding the so‑called Trump Route (TRIPP), Moscow’s stance is quite clear. From the beginning, Russia believed that all sensitive issues between the countries of the region should have stable, long‑term settlement. This is necessary so the South Caucasus can fully realize its transit and other potential.

“In this direction, including on opening regional communications, Russia has actively worked with Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Kopyrkin noted.

According to him, it is quite obvious that the settlement of the situation in the region is ensured by trilateral format documents, as well as high‑level declarations adopted in 2020–2022.

“Russia’s position has not changed, and we now clearly state that we are ready to provide support in the form and to the extent required by the parties. What happens in the South Caucasus is very important to us,” the Russian ambassador said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed puzzlement on December 25 at the search in Armenia for so‑called “agents of Russian influence,” saying Moscow is monitoring actions of Armenian authorities who view any politician with opposition views as an “influence agent.” She noted that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regularly states the need to develop relations with Russia and speaks of friendly attitudes toward Moscow.