Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov leaves the Armenian leader's statement entirely to his conscience. Lavrov stated this on Tuesday at his joint news conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in Azerbaijani capital Baku, commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement that Russia's military presence in Armenia is a threat to security, and that the EU mission in Armenia can prevent fears of a joint attack on Azerbaijan with Russia.

In response to this statement, he asked to quote the previous statement.

"We see how the European Union is openly abusing its relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan, including advancing its so-called mission, which raises serious doubts from the point of view of legitimacy, in the territory of Armenia, which raises many questions, including its functions, mandate, duration and from the point of view of the added value that the mission can have in efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, it is the choice of the parties with whom to cooperate.

We are guided by the ‘do no harm’ principle in all our actions. We are guided by the principle of contributing to the solution of all emerging problems, which would firstly be based on the principled agreement of the three leaders within the framework of their four [trilateral] statements. Secondly, they would ensure mutually beneficial cooperation based on mutual respect between all the countries of the region. Not all players, first of all, those who are far from the South Caucasus, are guided by such principles and want to work here not for anything, but against someone. We see it, but I am convinced that the parties directly involved in the process see it," the Russian FM stated.