Expert: Ukraine adds additional uncertainty to Moscow`s participation  in the ongoing processes between Yerevan and Baku

ArmInfo. The recent military provocation in the Lachin corridor has many reasons, given that this corridor is an important component of the processes around Karabakh,  which is of interest to all parties, including Russia. A similar  opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by Alexei Malashenko, Chief  Researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International  Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO).

"Moscow's decision to redeploy peacekeepers will have to be observed  by both sides. But there have always been and will be conflicts  around the Lachin corridor. In this light, the tripartite statement  of November 9, 2020 may well be supplemented by new agreements. In In  general, there is nothing final in the existing agreements on  Karabakh.The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is heavy,  political.  Definitely, it will last for a very long time, and the  Lachin corridor is one of the bottlenecks of this conflict," he said.  

According to Malashenko, the situation in Artsakh and the South  Caucasus as a whole is also significantly affected by the situation  in Ukraine. In particular, the hostilities in Ukraine and all the  accompanying processes, in his opinion, significantly limit the  peacekeeping functions and position of the Russian Federation in  Artsakh. In the expert's opinion, Ukraine adds additional vagueness  and uncertainty to the Moscow's participation into the prospects for  further processes between Yerevan and Baku. "In general, today it is  not very clear how further processes will unfold in the conflict  region. Because it is one thing when Russia is a peacemaker occupying  a special position, and another thing is Russia with its hands tied  by the Ukrainian conflict. And taking into account the fact that this  reality is well understood, especially in Azerbaijan, it seems that  it is necessary to show maximum diplomacy and caution," he  emphasized.  

"Look at what is happening on other geopolitical platforms with  Russia's participation. The same recent accusation of head of the  Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Grigory  Karasin, against the European Union, the United States and  Switzerland in an effort to disrupt the work of the Geneva  discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus speaks  volumes. Namely, the West believes that there is nothing more to talk  about with Russia, moreover, on any issue, Russia only holds  discussions with Turkey, Iran, China, but not with Europe or the USA.   And all these processes reflect the essence of the situation created  around Russia," Malashenko concluded.