West will never fight against Azerbaijan for Armenia — Alexey Fenenko

Speaking with Alpha News, Alexey Fenenko, Associate Professor of the International Security Department at Moscow State University, commented on Armenian-Russian relations and noted that they are in a very dangerous state.

“Russian-Armenian relations are in a very dangerous state. Firstly, today NATO countries are developing a military partnership with Armenia. These are, first of all, France, and in the background, the United States. They are setting a condition for quitting the CSTO. If Armenia quits the CSTO, it will be a big shock for this organization, not because Armenia is so valuable, but because it will be the second country to leave the organization.

Uzbekistan suspended its membership in 2012. If Armenia leaves, the format of the entire organization will have to be changed. The West is playing on the fact that Russia has not helped you and will not help you. The West says, ‘Russia is drifting towards Azerbaijan and Turkey, which means we will help you take revenge; just break off relations with Russia.’ This is the current state of Russian-Armenian relations,” Fenenko said.

According to the expert, sooner or later Russia’s patience may come to an end.

“The West will never fight against Azerbaijan for Armenia. How will the West even get to Armenia? After all, Armenia has no access to the sea. Armenia has borders with Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Turkey blocks any aid through the NATO mechanism. But Armenians are still shouting about some kind of European choice. How can they technically make this European choice? Turkey is not going to let them into any Europe; it itself is not part of Europe, but this idea, nevertheless, is present in Armenian society.

Pashinyan may come to the informal summit of the CIS countries, but then he will again state that he is once again leaving the CSTO or something like that. Russia is not yet seeking to break relations with Armenia, because it does not want Armenia to actively go to the West and get involved in a new war with Azerbaijan. But sooner or later, Russia’s patience may reach its limit. Russia may well say, ‘Leave the CSTO; we will withdraw our base, and you will be left alone with Azerbaijan and Turkey’,” Fenenko concluded.