Moscow: Russia`s approach to Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization remains unchanged

ArmInfo. Russia's approach to Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization is unchanged and not subject to political considerations. This was stated by Mikhail Kalugin, Director of the Fourth Department of the CIS Countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"We support the establishment of a lasting and reliable peace, ensuring security and prosperity in the South Caucasus. This underlies our efforts to promote the normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan in key areas such as concluding a peace agreement, unblocking transport communications, border delimitation, and public contacts," the Russian diplomat said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to him, it is important to ensure the irreversibility of the peace process through balanced decisions and strengthening mutual trust. He recalled that the trilateral format, with Russia's participation, was initially aimed at solving precisely these complex problems—avoiding harm to the interests of either side and reaching mutually acceptable compromises. "I emphasize: all the achievements achieved in 2020-2022 with the assistance of the Russian side are still relevant today. Thus, within the framework of the trilateral working group on unblocking transport and economic ties, co-chaired by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, we managed to come very close to reaching concrete solutions by 2023," Kalugin noted. He recalled that the discussion focused on launching a connection between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan via the "Meghri route" in Armenia's Syunik region, as well as fully unblocking Armenia's railway infrastructure with access to Turkey, Iran, and Russia. "If Yerevan had not refused to work together, we could have seen concrete results of the implementation of these agreements on the ground—in the form of built and restored communications in the region—as early as 2027. Russian assessments on this matter were voiced in detail in April 2026 in an interview with the co-chair of the Trilateral Working Group, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk, who emphasized that "the reluctance to see Russia in the negotiation process to unblock the situation was a big mistake," Kalugin concluded.

The Meghri route is a project for a transport route approximately 40 km long through the territory of the Syunik region of Armenia, which would provide transport links between the western regions of Azerbaijan and its exclave, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The opening of transport routes in the region was envisaged by point 9 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is trying to distort the essence of these agreements and gain an extraterritorial corridor.