There are many people who want to moderate the process from outside. Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian foreign ministry, said this at Thursday’s press briefing, referring to the process of normalizing Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

"We deal with this topic constantly, regularly, in different directions. You see activeness at the highest level, you see how the foreign ministers work, we have special representatives in this matter. And, of course, our embassies, our analysts work on a daily basis. They are not only the ministries of foreign affairs, but also those that ensure security directly in the region. The process itself continues," Zakharova said, noting that specific dates and meetings will be announced when they arise.

"There are many people who want to moderate [the aforementioned process] from outside. Now there are startling reports that the United States may use force methods to do so. Of course, this does not add an additional element to the normalization process; it only complicates and pushes it back. But, also, we know why it's done. Since 2020, the proactive steps taken by the Russian Federation, as a real mediator and a real friend of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, which wants to resolve this situation, well, they probably caused a shock and a jolt because the long-term complicated conflict ultimately got a chance to resolve in a practical sense as well," she noted.

"And our [Russian peacekeeping] contingent, which is deployed [in Nagorno-Karabakh], and our diplomatic efforts, and the economic bloc, which is working under the auspices of [Russian] Deputy Prime Minister [Alexey] Overchuk to complete the normalization, all this annoys them [i.e. the West]. We are well aware that those who don't want peace, stability, and prosperity in this region primarily act under the name moderators and mediators," Zakharova said.