VLADIMIR PUTIN’S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AND THEN-PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA SERZH SARGSYAN, AUGUST 2014. SOURCE: KREMLIN.RU
21 July 2020
ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN BORDER FIGHTING PROMPTS RUSSIA TO CHANGE STRATEGY The latest flare-up in the Armenia-Azerbaijan armed conflict does not change much in the balance of power through the South Caucasus. With their military potential and deals they had sealed with other states, neither country is poised to emerge a victor. Most importantly, after the latest border spat, Russia has shifted its stand on the feud both Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked for the past three decades. Recent years particularly saw the Kremlin’s tilt from a pro-Armenian view towards the center, to mediate possible peace talks rather than take sides with Armenia.
O
ver a few days in mid-July, the heavy officials declared firm support for Azerbaijan f ighting er upted on the A r menia- –– the Turkish defense minister held a meeting Azerbaijan border, making it the deadliest with his Azeri counterpart –– Russia took on a escalation since the April 2016 Four-Day neutral stance, chiefly to Armenia’s sour regret. War. Interestingly, clashes occurred north of It was by no accident that the country’s military Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno- stirred up a military clash outside NagornoKarabakh, and not there. Unlike Turkey whose Karabakh. www.warsawinstitute.org
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