Russia has repeatedly stated about its readiness to defend Armenia, as a Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member.    

Former Russian Federation Ambassador to Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko, who is Regional Program Director at the Institute for Caspian Cooperation, said the aforementioned at Friday’s Yerevan-Moscow live television link discussion.  

Commenting on Russia’s selling of weapons to Azerbaijan, Kovalenko noted: 

“If Russia will not sell weapons to Azerbaijan, Israel and other countries will do it. [But] this is not the matter that can cast the allied relations between Russia and Armenia into doubt.

“By maintaining partnership relations with Azerbaijan and allied relations with Armenia, Russia contributes so that that there will not be great bloodshed in the region.  

“Although a serious conflict has taken place between Armenia and Azerbaijan because of [Nagorno-]Karabakh, the war has stopped, [and] the region lives in peace.” 

In the former Russian ambassador’s words, by maintaining relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia and being a mediator in the negotiation process, Russia contributes to the maintenance of peace.

“By taking the side of a party [to the conflict], Russia would worsen the climate, and conditions may be created for the resumption of the armed conflict,” Vyacheslav Kovalenko concluded.