DISINFO: The West is destabilising the South Caucasus
SUMMARY
The EU and the US are destabilising the South Caucasus, trying to impose their mediation services on Armenia and Azerbaijan.
RESPONSE
The unfounded claim by pro-Kremlin media accuses the ever-aggressive West of having an anti-Russian agenda in the Caucasus. The claim attempts to pre-empt Russia's weakening position in the region.
The statement was made in the context of the September 2023 escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pro-Kremlin media promote the idea that the Caucasus is exclusively within Russia's zone of geopolitical dominance and attempts to discredit any other efforts of mediation in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This article even claims that Western countries make the situation worse. In fact, Western countries have made several attempts to advance a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Contrary to the claim, the EU has a strong interest in a politically stable and economically prosperous Southern Caucasus in full understanding with the states there. See the statement from the EU High Representative Josep Borrell on 19th September 2023 in which he called for the immediate cessation of hostilities, for Azerbaijan to stop the current military activities and urges dialogue between Baku and Karabakh Armenians.
The US and France along with Russia are members of the OSCE Minsk Group and involved in Armenian Azerbaijani negotiations since 1992.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has further altered the power balance in the region, creating a dangerous security vacuum and intensifying the need for renewed international mediation towards a comprehensive political settlement. The EU has meanwhile taken on a prominent mediation role in the negotiations. The US stated that it is ready to engage bilaterally, with like-minded partners, to facilitate dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
See other similar cases: US, EU oppress Russia's legitimate interests in the South Caucasus; The EU is not interested in peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan; The West urges Georgia to open a second front against Russia.