ArmInfo.The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict has transformed into a target in geopolitical games. It is a most negative factor in terms of prospects both the conflict itself and the conflicting parties have, Alexander Skakov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, RF Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with ArmInfo.
"Preventing such developments amid the unprecedented confrontation between the West and Russia has been practically impossible. It was clear from the outset that the Russia-West military confrontation could not but affect the South Caucasus and all the other regions Russia has its interests in," he said.
As a result, following geopolitical logic, Brussels is making an active use of the international situation, which is most unfavorable to Russia, to advance not only in Ukraine, but also in any other direction.
The West's assessments of the geopolitical situation are too optimistic, Mr Skakov said. Russia's active involvement in Ukraine is only military, whereas it is following routine with respect to its other interests. The result is that the EU's only achievement in the Caucasus is the negotiations in and mediated by Brussels.
"In any case, we are not going to see anything good, and further developments in the situation in the South Caucasus are practically impossible to predict. In assessing the current situation, many view intensified European diplomacy in the Caucasus as Russia's error, which needs rectifying. Our foreign office must be sure it has no alternatives in the South Caucasus, which does not have much to do with reality. On the other hand, the situation is rather difficult to change as well," Mr Skakov said.