Agreements reached during Putin-Witkoff meeting will affect South Caucasus – Konstantin Tasits

Speaking with Alpha News, political scientist and South Caucasus expert Konstantin Tasits commented on how the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steven Witkoff could impact the South Caucasus region.

“We hope the meeting between Putin and Witkoff will provide momentum for resolving the situation in Ukraine diplomatically, in a manner that respects Russian interests and addresses the root causes of the conflict, as Russia stated at the outset. If agreements are reached, this will also impact the situation in our neighboring countries, particularly in the South Caucasus, as Russia will demonstrate its increased capabilities. The causes of the conflict in Ukraine, including NATO expansion, directly affect the Transcaucasia. Clearly, Russia will also insist on halting the advance of hostile blocs toward its borders in these countries. Overall, this should contribute to stabilizing the situation and establishing peaceful, constructive cooperation without the interference of external destructive forces, as occurred primarily under the previous Democratic Biden administration, when US and EU policies were aimed at isolating Russia and severing its traditional historical ties with the Transcaucasian republics,” Tasits said.

According to the expert, the implementation of the TRIPP project in Armenia also depends on the success of bilateral contacts between Moscow and Washington on Ukraine.

“Regarding the ‘Trump Route’ project, we need to wait for some concrete details, since none have been announced yet—negotiations are still ongoing. Russia has generally been supportive of the idea of opening communications and restoring economic ties ever since the Trilateral Declarations between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. This was considered the key to stabilization and peace. If communications are opened and economic cooperation is restored, this will create economic interdependence between the countries and foster a favorable atmosphere for resolving existing differences. Therefore, Russia’s position will depend on the dynamics of the negotiations and what the parties ultimately agree on,” he concluded.