Zakharova wishes `Yerevan not to suffer the fate of Kyiv` due to  EU-Armenia rapprochement

ArmInfo. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed surprise at the increased interest of Azerbaijani journalists in Armenia.  

Thus, on March 6, during a briefing, in response to a request from an Azerbaijani journalist to comment on a number of statements by Armenian officials, including regarding Armenia's policy of rapprochement with the EU, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova noted that it would be great if a representative of each country, be either Azerbaijan or Armenia, showed interest in issues on their own bilateral agenda, and did not conduct conversations behind their backs, so to speak.

At the same time, regarding the statements of Armenian officials  about Yerevan's readiness to get closer to the European Union, the  Russian diplomat wished that 'Armenia would not suffer the same fate  as Ukraine'.

"Armenia has gone through its most difficult historical path, which  included genocides, the defense of its own sovereignty, the struggle  for its own culture, the most complex territorial issues and  conflicts. This country and this people deserve to live in peace and  in no case become a bargaining chip in the hands of unscrupulous  Western politicians.

Russia sincerely wishes peace for Armenia, since it is our neighbor  and ally. This is a country and people with whom we have long-term  historical ties. With all our hearts, we wish peace, stability and  prosperity to this state, both from the point of view of love for  this country and from the point of view of pragmatism," said the  official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

According to her, the future of the region depends on the well-being  of Armenia. "But we see how the West, having played enough and broken  Ukraine, throwing it like a shabby doll without an arm and a leg into  a corner, began to look for a new victim. Just so that Armenia, which  will be lured and deceived, does not become this new victim. Armenia  had historical experience of 'who would eventually come to its aid',"  the diplomat added.

At the same time, Zakharova suggested that some politicians in  Armenia perceive the EU's suddenly increased attention to the  Republic as a panacea. "But we must look the matter full in the face:   Unfortunately, a number of political figures in Armenia do not even  think that the Republic of Armenia is being turned into another  instrument of Western geopolitics, Western amusement, they are simply  being used up. And before our eyes there are many examples of how the  West cynically uses states in their own opportunistic interests, and  then simply abandon them to the mercy of fate," she noted, expressing  the conviction that the EU has long ceased to be a reliable partner.

At the same time, the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry  pointed out that it is obvious that the collective West views Armenia  as an entry point into the South Caucasus region.

"The EU has long been acting contrary to the interests of its own  citizens, do you really think that they will care about Armenia and  its citizens! And in these conditions, it is completely irresponsible  to present the desire for rapprochement with the aggressive and  non-negotiable EU as a way to ensure someone's security. There are no  such examples, " Zakharova summed up.