France and the US Seek to Intervene in Russia's Mediation Efforts Between Yerevan and Baku: Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the question of why the OSCE Minsk Group is currently inactive regarding the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and whether there is a prospect for its restoration during a press conference.

According to Lavrov, the answer is quite simple. The OSCE Minsk Group was originally created to unite the countries capable of influencing the region and sending signals to both Yerevan and Baku.

He noted that since the 44-day war and the ceasefire agreement mediated by Russia, when Moscow began assisting the sides in delimitation, unblocking communications, and preparing a peace treaty, attempts have been observed by other players to intervene in these processes.

“Since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the West, through the voices of Washington and Paris, has officially announced that it will work with Russia neither anywhere nor in any format. With this, they declared the end of the OSCE Minsk Group's activities. Therefore, when our Armenian partners occasionally mention the Minsk Group, we tell them that this issue should be directed not to us, but to the USA and France, which have stated that it is no longer possible to convene this group, and of course, to Azerbaijan, as any mediation efforts would be meaningless without its participation. Now both the French and the Americans, as well as the EU, are trying to make up for the burial of the Minsk Group through intervention in mediation efforts, appropriating the agreements reached with the involvement of the Russian side. For example, they are holding a meeting of the commission on delimitation issues in Brussels,” said Lavrov.