If Someone Is Not Supporting Armenia's Security, It Is Russia: French Ambassador

What I have seen in recent years is that when Armenia has needed help, Russia has not been present, while the West, which is not a single bloc but consists of various organizations and different countries, is providing support today, and this is a positive phenomenon. This was stated by Olivier Décotignie, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of France to Armenia, in an interview with Public Television, responding to criticism from Russia that the West is trying to push Russia out of the Caucasus through Armenia.

Regarding the statements made by Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, claiming that the West and France are bringing instability to the South Caucasus, the ambassador said, “In recent years, Russia, which is Armenia's official ally, and both countries are members of the CSTO, did not help Armenia when its territory was attacked twice in 2021 and 2022 by a non-CSTO member country. Meanwhile, in 2023, when Azerbaijan began military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia, which has been the guarantor of the ceasefire since 2020 and had peacekeeping forces on the ground in Nagorno-Karabakh, did not intervene. Russian peacekeepers only emerged from their barracks during the disarmament of the de facto authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh, after a ceasefire agreement with Baku. Thus, if someone is not supporting Armenia's security, it is Russia.”

As for Moscow's claim that the West and France acted in Prague to make Armenia renounce Artsakh, and Russia had to accept that decision under Western pressure, Décotignie stated, “It would be good for Russia to submit to the will of Europe or the West for the first time. It is surprising that Ms. Zakharova said that. What happened is that the guarantor of the ceasefire, Russia, did not play its role when that ceasefire agreement was violated by Azerbaijan. The refugees who left Nagorno-Karabakh did so after a nine-month blockade and brutal military assault. The Europeans did not organize that blockade; the Europeans did not carry out that brutal military assault.”