Russia ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan overcome disagreements, says foreign ministry spox

Russia is following the Armenian-Azeri border situation and calls on both sides to display restraint and resolve problems peacefully, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said. 

During a weekly press briefing, Zakharova called on both sides to avoid any action that would escalate the situation.

“All issues must be resolved exclusively in a peaceful and political way. We are ready to make efforts to help our colleagues overcome the disagreements for signing the peace agreement, as well as resolve the unblocking of transport and economic connections, the delimitation and humanitarian issues within the framework of the trilateral agreements between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia,” the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said on Wednesday.

Zakharova also spoke about the opening of the Russian consulate-general in Armenia’s Kapan.

She said that the expansion of Russian presence in the strategically important Armenian region is in the interests of both countries.

Zakharova said Moscow expects clarity about the issue by May this year.

She said opening the consulate would boost trade, cultural and scientific-educational, as well as humanitarian cooperation. “Syunik has also gained important significance in the Eurasian Economic Union format with the treaty on creating a free trade zone with Iran,” she added.

Russia decided to open a consulate in Kapan in 2023. A year later Moscow said it was waiting for Armenia’s final confirmation.

Earlier in March 2025, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to the terms of the peace treaty. Armenia announced readiness to sign the peace agreement as soon as possible, but Azerbaijan has been stalling the process ever since. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has been falsely accusing Armenia of border shootings in what Yerevan has described as a disinformation campaign. Azerbaijan has also made preconditions for signing the peace treaty.