🇦🇲🇷🇺 In light of Armenia submitting a draft law to Parliament on joining the EU, here's a quick chat I had with
Hayk Khalatyan, an expert on all things Armenia.
Khalatyan mentions several interesting points on Russia's shortcomings in its foreign policy, as he sees them.
- The taking of Karabakh by Azerbaijan. Armenia, while considering this an internal matter, still being member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, was of little advantage.
- Azerbaijani aggression on Armenia in 2021, again as a member of the CSTO, Armenian society was not understanding of Russia's perceived non-action.
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Azerbaijan is not in the CSTO but is considered a regional ally, where Russia has a delicate balance to observe. However, and importantly so:- Azerbaijan supplies Ukraine with weapons, killing Russian soldiers.
Armenia does not. - There is a Russian base in Armenia, which is
free of charge (for now.)
Finally, while Turkey always supports its ally in Aliyev, Armenian society, it may be fair to say, felt somewhat abandoned by Russia.
Meanwhile, the West utilizes Russia's shortcomings very effectively, Khalatyan notes. As pro-Western aligned Pashinyan now seeks to join the EU, Russia will likely be pushed out of this Caucasus region.
The long term strategy does appear to flop here, from the Russian perspective.
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