It is fundamentally important for Russia to maintain its role as a mediator between Yerevan and Baku. This is what Leading Researcher at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Head of the Laboratory of Political Processes Analysis Nikolaii Silayev said during a discussion (“Russia in the South Caucasus: Threats and Challenges for the Modern Armenian-Russian Strategic Unity”) at Yerevan State University.

According to him, the status of mediator allows Russia to continue to play a dominant role in the region, while Turkey doesn’t have such a status. Therefore, it can’t be a mediator.

“Secondly, the relations with Baku are important for Moscow not only in the context of Nagorno-Karabakh, but also the Caspian region, just like several economic relations are important. For this reason, Russia will avoid a situation where it will be forced to choose between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Yerevan, Baku and Ankara know this very well,” Silayev explained.