Sergey Kopyrkin: Russia staying in South Caucasus

ArmInfo. Russia is not only staying in the South Caucasus, but also maintaining its focus  on the region and its relationship with the Republic of Armenia, as a  fraternal and allied country. Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey  Kopyrkin made this statement in an interview with Euromedia24.  According to him, high-level visits could be a way to signal this  commitment.

In this regard, the ambassador recalled Armenia's Foreign Minister's  visit to Moscow , followed by a return visit of the head of the  Russian MFA to Yerevan, and then the arrival of the head of the  Federation Council of the Russian Federation.

He urged to face the facts: "Geography, history, humanitarian  factors, and security issues all  make Russia an integral part of the  regional situation. "How could Russia get out of this place? Of  course, difficult processes are currently taking place and Russia is  facing fateful challenges. We are all aware of this, but it doesn't  diminish the significance of the South Caucasus and relations with  Armenia for the Russian Federation," the diplomat emphasized. In this  context, Kopyrkin stated responsibly that the South Caucasus is one  of the priority areas of Russia's foreign policy. 

The ambassador agreed that Armenian-Russian relations are currently  facing challenges, which is understandable given the complex  developments taking place in the region and globally. While  describing the situation as a challenge for bilateral relations, the  diplomat also saw  it an opportunity to strengthen and adapt them to  the current contradictory realities. The Ambassador emphasized the  importance of engaging into an open, meaningful, active dialogue and  coordinating positions to avoid any misunderstandings and build  trust. "This does not mean agreeing on everything. However,  an open  dialogue, based on a mutual desire to  preserve the core of  our  relations, especially between our peoples, is the goal  of high-level  and highest-level contacts," he emphasized.