Follow-up to situation around Ukraine in South Caucasus possible by means of Turkey, Azerbaijan -  Stepan Danielyan

ArmInfo. By employing Turkey and its satellite Azerbaijan, the West can easily ensure a follow-up to the situation around Ukraine in the South Caucasus, the political  scientist Stepan Danielyan told ArmInfo.  

"It is impossible to say now whether a war will break out in Ukraine  or not. But, in my view, the fact is the situation there is directly  linked to the South Caucasus. In the context of the West-set global  goals, namely, restricting Russia's geopolitical influence in the  post-Soviet area, Ukraine and the South Caucasus are different  vectors of one case," he said. 

Mr Danielyan regards the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh and the  conflict in the south-east of Ukraine as links of one geopolitical  chain, with the global attention focused on Ukraine primarily due to  the efforts by Great Britain, which, in turn, "lets loose" the  beneficiaries of Russia's restricted influence in the post- Soviet  area. According to the expert, they are considering Ukraine and the  Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in one context. 

Nothing will prevent the international community to deal with  problems in the South Caucasus simultaneously with the ones in  Ukraine, with the only purpose of preventing Moscow extending its  influence in the post-Soviet area. The only difference is that the  problems in the South Caucasus are being and will be dealt with by  means of Turkey and Azerbaijan. 

In the context of the growing influence of the NATO member Turkey in  the South Caucasus, and its extending influence over Central Asia as  a result of the 44-day war, Mr Danielyan points out that in this  geopolitical rivalry Turkey is the West's instrument, partner and one  of the beneficiaries. And, as in the last case, Armenia will be the  first victim of Turkey's involvement against Russia and Iran in the  region. 

"No doubt, all the geopolitical processes in question could influence  the situation in Artsakh. Just as in the autumn of 2020, the West is  concerned with more global issues rather than with Artsakh or  Armenia. The current situation involving Armenia and Azerbaijan and  Artsakh's very existence, even in this form, are an obstacle to the  plans to undermine the regional positions of Russia and Iran. And it  is only by resolving this problem by bringing Artsakh and even  Armenia's Syunik under Azerbaijan's - and, in a broader sense,  Turkey's - full control, can the West achieve its goals involving  Russia and Iran," Mr Danielyan said.