sworn enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan unite against Putin: The Telegraph

Two sworn enemies, Armenia and Azerbaijan, are uniting to push Putin out of the South Caucasus, reports the British newspaper The Telegraph.

The likelihood of war in the region is low. However, the division is real and dangerous for Moscow, as Armenia, after enduring a series of brutal wars with Azerbaijan for 30 years, is joining forces with its old adversary to oust Putin from the South Caucasus.

Recall that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has held a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Their direct negotiations focused on the Zangezur corridor.

According to the ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020, the route was supposed to be controlled by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB). However, that arrangement is now under threat, as President Aliyev wants to remove Moscow from the deal and place it entirely under Azerbaijan's control.

"For the President of Azerbaijan, the days of taking orders from Moscow seem to be over. This is Russia's last big card in the region. We have yet to see a final peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but there are positive signs. A final peace agreement would be a serious blow to Russia's position in the South Caucasus," said Neil Melvin, Director of International Security at the Royal United Services Institute.

The article notes that for now, Russia will continue to blame the West while working behind the scenes to salvage its relations. However, for Azerbaijan and Armenia, countries that were once treated as Soviet satellites, they are choosing their own direction that does not include Russia.