The Russian side has always advocated for the speedy reconciliation of the two neighboring countries. Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), stated this during a press briefing Thursday—and commenting on the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

"I believe you remember how many times our country—and personally Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov—has participated in international meetings dedicated to this topic. It is no coincidence that in recent years, the first phase of Armenian-Turkish negotiations took place in Moscow on January 14, 2022. We [i.e. Russia] consider the normalization of relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey as a precondition for restoring long-term peace and ensuring sustainable development in the South Caucasus," Zakharova noted.

According to her, Russia stands ready to continue assisting in the efforts of its Armenian and Turkish partners in this regard, including within the framework of the 3+3 regional cooperation platform.

"Let me recall that it [i.e. the 3+3 platform] includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, as well as Russia, Iran, and Turkey. We [i.e. Moscow] hope that when developing agreements between Ankara and Yerevan, the realities and long-term interests of the neighbors of the South Caucasus will be duly taken into account. For this, it is important to exclude the destructive intervention of non-regional players and the already complex negotiation process," concluded the Russian MFA spox.