Post-Soviet space to be reconfigured in wake of Russia`s special  military operation in Ukraine - Sergey Markedonov

ArmInfo.The post-Soviet space will be reconfigured in the wake of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, which is not at all an exaggeration in the context of the  looming prospects, Sergey Markedonov, Leading Researcher at Moscow  State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), said in an  interview with ArmInfo.

"It is clear that assessing the effectiveness of any diplomatic  initiative requires studying its geopolitical context, specifically,  in the context of the negotiations between Armenia's Premier Nikol  Pashinyan and President Vladimir Putin in Novo-Ogaryovo. I would not  view them as part of diplomatic routine, especially amid the greatest  shocks in the post-Soviet space over the last three decades - the  Ukraine developments," Mr Markedonov said.  Even amid the tectonic  shifts in the European part of the post-Soviet space, serious changes  are taking place in the southern regions as well - changes caused by  the United States and France refusing to cooperate with Russia within  the OSCE Minsk Group chairmanship. Thereafter, the West started  rivalry with Russia for mediating the Baku-Yerevan dialogue, which  was demonstrated at the Pashinyan-Aliyev-Michel negotiations in  Brussels, where Michel attempted to present the EU as major sponsor  of peace. 

This, as well as the March escalation in Artsakh - which sparked off  intense debate on the effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping  mission in Azerbaijan, Armenia and, of course, in the West -  necessitated Moscow reiterating a number of points. Specifically,  Russia's involvement in Ukraine does not at all mean renouncing its  priorities in the Caucasus and intention to balance out its relations  with Baku and Yerevan.  Under the circumstances, when any states  attempting to implement a friendly policy toward Russia find  themselves under the West's powerful pressure, it is vitally  important for Armenia to retain what has been achieved jointly with  Russia and attempt to acquire a status in the South Caucasus similar  to that of Finland in Europe, especially amid the Nagorno-Karabakh  peace process transforming from a platform for cooperation into one  for rivalry, Mr Markedonov said. 

"So Moscow considers it important to propose its own agenda to the  parties, especially in the context of its key role in achieving  peace. I think it is too early to claim that this whole process is  raising relations with Armenia to a new level. Of importance is the  implementation of the Yerevan-Moscow agreements. One thing is clear,  Moscow is not at all going to ease its efforts in pushing ahead with  the bilateral and regional agenda," Mr Markedonov said.