Following the Brussels meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on May 22 and the first meeting of the governmental commissions on border delimitation and security on May 24, News.am sent an inquiry to the Russian Foreign Ministry, requesting comment on some statements.

Requested statements concerned the US and EU regarding the Brussels meeting, the mediation role of the EU, and some questions about the prospects for Russian involvement in the work of the delimitation commissions and the possibility of a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In response to our questions, the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry informed that the topics of interest are regularly covered by the leadership of the Ministry, and provided references to some official statements made during the last two months by Russian diplomats.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the first meeting of the bilateral Armenian-Azerbaijani Border Delimitation Commission and expressed support for the European Union-mediated dialogue between Yerevan and Baku. Additionally, during his phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Blinken offered Washington's assistance in delineating and demarcating the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, reiterating U.S. willingness to assist on a bilateral basis as well as with like-minded partners to "help achieve a long-term comprehensive peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan." How would you comment on these statements and the U.S. role in the negotiation process as a whole, given that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair format is now defunct?

The Russian ministry suggested reading the statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following his talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on April 8, when Lavrov assessed the prospects of further activities and the priority of the format of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship.

"I don't know what the future will be. The French and American "partners" in this group in a Russophobic frenzy, in an effort to cancel "anything and everything" concerning Russia, also canceled the "three members" of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. They declared that they would not communicate with us in this format. It is their right. If they are ready to sacrifice the interests of the settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh and in the whole South Caucasus (in this case the Armenian side), that's their choice. It's not just about this particular conflict. They make all the other crises on Earth hostages of their Russophobic policy. They force everyone to stop interaction in any format just to prove their ability to dictate their unilateral will. I think this approach is irresponsible. It will not put us out of business. As always, we are fully committed to facilitating the settlement of the Karabakh situation, to the implementation of all the agreements reached in the trilateral format between the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. If the U.S. and France decide to do otherwise, God be their judge," Lavrov said at the time.

The May 22 statement by European Council President Charles Michel did not mention Russia's role as a mediator and the trilateral agreements reached under Moscow's auspices. When asked why Michel did not mention Russia's role, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar told NEWS.am, that the EU has always highlighted the need to implement all past trilateral agreements, which served as a basis for the current discussions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He added that no one questions the relevance of the trilateral agreements reached with Moscow in 2020 and 2021. How does Russia assess the EU's mediation efforts in the talks between Yerevan and Baku and the possibility of cooperation with Brussels in this direction?

During the above-mentioned briefing, Sergey Lavrov also criticized the EU actions in the framework of Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations and recalled the trilateral agreements reached earlier with Russian mediation.

"I would like our European colleagues in Brussels to understand that this "channel" has already been created by the three leaders in 2020 and 2021, and they will not put obstacles, "dams" or anything else.

I noticed that in the statement issued by Michel after his meeting with the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia there is no mention of Russia. It shows what is more important for the EU leadership: to develop the achievements or to use the Karabakh issue to "celebrate" their Russophobic views. This is unfortunate. Russia will never sacrifice the interests of our closest allies to some geopolitical, propaganda schemes and games. We are fully committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan get back on track.

Part of this work is delimitation. We and our colleagues confirmed today that the decision of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan that the delimitation commission will be bilateral with consultative participation of the Russian side remains in force. Not only because we have a map of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, which Yerevan and Baku are willing to use, but also for the simple reason that our living together on this territory for centuries allows us to hope that this kind of issues will be resolved more effectively in this format.

I develop the idea of how Brussels is positioning itself not only on delimitation issues. Michel also promoted trilateral trade, economic and transport projects. He talked about the EU's role in promoting a peace treaty. We are already familiar with this delicacy. It is purely European. Mirzoyan quoted a statement of Azerbaijanis that the "three members" of co-chairmen ceased to exist. I have not heard this statement of Azerbaijan. But it is a fact that the French and Americans, as part of the "three members", said so.

I don't know what words they used to put their statement into. It is a fact that they sacrificed the fate of the region, at least the role, which the "three members" could play in the fate of the region, to their Russophobic aims. They have set priorities quite clearly," said the Russian minister.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during telephone conversations of Sergey Lavrov with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on May 23 - a day after the Brussels meeting of the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the EU - the commitment to the comprehensive implementation of trilateral agreements at the highest level of 9 November 2020, 11 January and 26 November 2021 was confirmed, in particular in the launch of project activities to unblock transport and economic relations in the South Caucasus, delimit the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and normalize relations between Yerevan and Azerbaijan. It is noteworthy that according to the Russian side's report on the conversation with the Azerbaijani minister the sides reiterated their commitment to strict fulfillment of all trilateral agreements.

The Ministry also mentioned Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's statements of May 18 and 25 that Russia sees the EU's persistent attempts to interfere with the implementation of trilateral agreements at the highest level. "We expect Brussels to help implement them, rather than try to play geopolitical games," Zakharova said, recalling that the trilateral agreements of the leaders dated November 9, 2020 form the basis of efforts towards comprehensive normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan.

November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021.

Russia has repeatedly expressed its readiness to provide consultative assistance in the work of the bilateral Commission on the Delimitation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian Border. Is there an appeal from the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides (or one of the sides) to Russia to provide consultative assistance, since the first meeting of the Commission has already taken place and the second one is planned in Moscow and the third one in Brussels?

Russian Foreign Ministry mentioned Zakharova's statement that a team of Russian experts had already been formed to provide advisory assistance.

"Russia has unique expertise in the area of delimitation and settlement of border disputes in the post-Soviet space. We have the necessary cartographic materials at our disposal. We will be happy to share our experience and expertise with Armenian and Azerbaijani friends within the framework of the Commission's activities", noted Zakharova.

Does Russia see the need for a new trilateral meeting of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan? Are preparations being undertaken to organize a meeting at this level?

In this connection, the Department of Information and Press of the Russian Foreign Ministry recalled a statement by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in an interview with the TASS news agency that the leaders are in constant contact, and the Russian side does not exclude the organization of a face-to-face meeting should such a need arise.