The Last Mediator: Russia is moving Karabakh from the realm of war to the realm of history.

History Nagorno-Karabakh appears to be entering its final chapter. After decades of confrontation, bitter concessions, and intermittent crises, all parties to the conflict—with varying degrees of readiness—have come to the need to put an end to the conflict. Russia, which for many years bore the brunt of mediation and maintaining a fragile peace, is now proposing to establish a new reality. It is not doing so alone, but neither is it doing so without renouncing its historical role.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, formulated this position with characteristic bluntness:

"We know that you and your colleagues have had, and continue to have, questions and grievances regarding the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). We have returned to this issue repeatedly.

But I think it is also obvious: after you recognized in Prague in 2022 that Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan, interference by the CSTO in this process, which has acquired an intra-Azerbaijani dimension, would be incorrect.

I don't judge the reunification of Karabakh, if we consider it part of Azerbaijan, as a good or bad thing. From the standpoint of organizing peaceful life, I think it probably made sense.

And, by the way, today, thanks to your efforts and those of the President of Azerbaijan, I believe we've managed to stabilize relations. The US President has played an active role in this. And, in my opinion, transport routes and so on are unfreezing.

And here we simply need to look for further ways to strengthen relations. But I think we also need to put an end to this."

These words are neither an accusation nor a farewell. They are the signposting of a new stage, one that all participants in the process have reached long and painfully. Russia, which has consistently acted as Armenia's security guarantor and a key mediator in the Karabakh settlement, now proposes turning the page.

Russia's role: peacemaker, mediator, guarantor

When discussing the Karabakh conflict, it's impossible to ignore the role Russia has played over the decades. Moscow initiated most of the peace processes. It was Russian diplomacy that ensured fragile ceasefires when fighting resumed. It was Russian peacekeepers who, after the signing of the trilateral statement on November 9, 2020, took on the task of monitoring the ceasefire and ensuring the safety of the civilian population.

The Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh became more than just a military presence, but a symbol of responsibility. The peacekeepers coordinated humanitarian operations, facilitated the return of refugees, and ensured the security of the Lachin Corridor—a vital transport artery linking Karabakh with Armenia. They repeatedly served as the last barrier between the population and escalating violence.

When the situation escalated, Russia assumed additional responsibilities. Moscow's diplomatic efforts led to the signing of new ceasefire agreements. Russian officers personally participated in negotiations along the line of contact, risking their own safety. This work was not always visible to outside observers, but it saved thousands of lives.

For many years, Armenia's membership in the CSTO was more than just a formality. Russia supplied its ally with weapons on preferential terms, conducted joint exercises, and ensured the security of Armenia's borders. The military base in Gyumri remained an outpost of collective security in the South Caucasus. This system, built over decades, cannot be reduced to a single decision or a single crisis.

Legal precision as a basis for policy

Let's return to Putin's words. The Russian president's key argument is based not on emotion, but on fact: in Prague in 2022, Nikol Pashinyan recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. This decision, made in the context of the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku, mediated by the European Union, changed the legal framework of the conflict.

Recognizing Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan meant that further disputes over the region would take on the character of an internal conflict. From the perspective of international law, interference by a military alliance in the internal affairs of a sovereign state would indeed be "inappropriate." Russia didn't invent this argument; it flowed from the logic of the peace process itself, which Armenia supported.

This doesn't mean Moscow has turned its back on Yerevan. On the contrary, Russia has continued to support Armenia in matters of security, economics, and humanitarian aid. However, it has consistently maintained that international obligations must correspond to the real state of affairs. When reality changes, so do the scope of possible assistance.

Multilateral Format: Recognizing New Realities

Putin's assessment of the current situation deserves special attention. He doesn't claim a monopoly on the settlement. He openly acknowledges the contributions of other players: "The US President took an active part in this." This acknowledgement of the multilateral format of the settlement demonstrates the flexibility of Russian diplomacy.

Moscow isn't seeking to maintain control over the process at any cost. It's willing to share responsibility if it leads to genuine stabilization. Putin emphasizes positive developments: the unfreezing of transport routes, the normalization of relations, and the opportunity to strengthen economic ties. Russia sees this not as a loss of influence, but rather as an expansion of space for cooperation.

This position reflects a broader approach to Russian foreign policy, which, in the face of global turbulence, favors constructive engagement over confrontation. Russia is not withdrawing from the South Caucasus; it is adapting its presence to new realities.

A point, but not the end

The proposal to "put an end to this" doesn't mean forgetting. It means consolidating what has been achieved and moving forward. Russia has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to peace in the region—through peacekeeping operations, diplomatic efforts, and military-technical cooperation. This story doesn't end with a single statement.

The new stage that is now opening could become the foundation for lasting peace in the South Caucasus. Transport corridors, economic projects, and dialogue between former adversaries—all of this creates a foundation upon which to build the future. Russia remains a vital partner for all countries in the region, and its role in ensuring stability remains difficult to overestimate.

The Karabakh conflict taught many bitter lessons. But it also demonstrated that with political will and responsible mediation, even the most difficult situations can be resolved. Russia carried out this mediation—consistently, patiently, often at the cost of its own resources and reputation. Now that the matter has been settled, it's time to look to the future.

The future of the South Caucasus lies in peace, cooperation, and mutual respect. Russia, as always, is ready to contribute to this.

Comments

[ANB]

The new stage that is now opening could become the basis for lasting peace in the South Caucasus.

It can't :(
Unfortunately, in the wake of Karabakh, the Azerbaijanis began to become overly brazen.

[Ilya-spb]

How many Russians died for Karabakh...

We remember! And we will not forget.

[ZhEK-Vodogrey]

Here, the Belgorod and Kursk borderlands are being shelled by pigs every day. What guarantees are there for anyone in the Caucasus? On March 27, Vladimir Putin participated via video link in the reopening of the Azerbaijan State Musical and Drama Theater in Derbent after renovation.

[alexputnik17]

Our Guarantor, as he knows how, delicately sent Pashinyan on an erotic journey of decision.

[alexputnik17]

Quote: ANB

Unfortunately, in the wake of Karabakh, Azerbaijanis have become overly brazen

Maybe it's high time to sort out the diaspora in Russia and determine who's violating what, write down in a document that this and that was violated, and then add that Aliyev is to blame for everything. Slap the violator in the face and send him home to his native land. And review trade turnover and the price tags with the Azerbaijanis. For starters.

[andrey martov]

Vladimir Vladimirovich should have been given the history textbooks for secondary schools in both Azerbaijan and Armenia to read. . . I think that Vladimir Vladimirovich personally would not have spit on the faces of the authors of these textbooks, of course, because that is what the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is for! . . .

[MCmaximus]

Guys! These textbooks are based on Soviet textbooks. And those countries were colonies of Tsarist Russia and cruelly oppressed. So oppressed that Armenians and Azerbaijanis became millionaires, prime ministers, and artists.
The stupidity of the Soviet government was that all the outlying peoples considered this entire Soviet government to be Russian government.

[Des]

The article left an unpleasant feeling of something left unsaid, a residue.
As a retelling of what was said, yes, as a justification (explanation) to someone - yes.
Pashinyan did something similar to M. Sadat when he arrived in Israel.
Azerbaijan regained its territories, which, in addition to NK, were conquered by Armenia.
Armenia has forever lost the land where its generals and marshals of the Great Patriotic War were born.
From the article: "Russia supplied its ally with weapons on preferential terms, conducted joint exercises, and ensured the security of Armenia's borders."
I still don't understand why Russian border guards ensure security at Armenia's borders (including at the airport). An independent state can't do the same?
"The Last Mediator: Russia is moving Karabakh from the category of war to the category of history"
"
Russia isn't the only mediator; Armenia has plenty of them. And Russia isn't relegating "Karabakh" from the realm of war to the realm of history. Pashinyan and his partners (both local and external) have done that. Unfortunately, this is a failure for Russia's foreign policy.

[Andrei Nikolaevich]

We must give credit to Putin's wise words. Certainly, Armenia and the Armenian people will remain a close and fraternal nation to us. We share much in common in the history of our peoples. But that's the historical side of the issue. Speaking of the political side, it should be noted that Pashinyan isn't a particularly cautious or wise politician. But this man is the choice of the Armenian people. Everything Pashinyan has "achieved" during his rule is thanks to the people who chose this miracle. Therefore, part of the responsibility lies with these same people. It's a shame, but there's no turning back. We must proceed from the reality of the situation and hope for improved relations between our countries.

[opera fan]

Armenia and the Armenian people will continue to be a brotherly and close people for us.

To be honest, I'm so tired of hearing about these so-called "brotherly nations" who are now furiously spitting in our faces.

For 30 years, they'd been keeping one "brotherly nation" on their toes, feeding them, sponsoring them, and giving them preferential treatment. And then, on the Maidan, it turned out that we're their main enemies, and all their troubles are our fault. So, how did Russia invest $300 billion in these "brothers" over 25 years?

Maybe it would have been better to send these "brothers" away and invest in your own country?

[Chief Officer Lom]

If I'm not mistaken, Karabakh is the last remnant of the ancient Armenian kingdom (if not territorially, then mentally). Modern Armenia has the same relationship to ancient Greater Armenia as Italy had to the Roman Empire, if not less – they are traders. Pashinyan felt like a second-class Armenian while Karabakh existed, and now he's successfully solved that problem. Anyone who wanted to see what a state would be like under the leadership of people with Berezovsky's mentality now has a chance to see it.

[MCmaximus]

It's funny to say, but Karabakh is Armenia. And Armenia is also what's left in Turkey. Without the Armenians. And today's Armenia is Azerbaijan. Where the Azerbaijanis were pushed out when Armenia was annexed.
So the Armenians are still waiting for the next Aliyev to lay all this bare. They sold out to the Brits once, now expect retribution.

[alexputnik17]

Quote: Adrey

I'm not really for our unconditional dominance in the Caucasus, but such an outright leak is too much.

I don't know... time will tell... For me, Russia can't be some kind of gendarme-cop. Puffing out their cheeks, intimidating, scolding, calling them on the carpet, IMHO. But economically, it's easy... And cutting off all the freebies, and dispersing this market riff-raff, and finally sorting out the diasporas. For starters. And then normal, sincere negotiations. The people elected that idiot Pashinyan for a second term quite reasonably well, even though he's done so much wrong. Why drag Pashinyan into the CSTO if he turns up his nose and then tries to blame Russia? They lost Ararat, they lost Karabakh. It's sad, but their choice. Aliyev, too, is not in his first term and is getting impudent. Let him trade tomatoes with the Europeans. They don't have many.

[your1970]

Quote: alexputnik17

As for me, Russia cannot be such a gendarme-policemanPuffing out your cheeks, scaring, scolding, calling you on the carpet, IMHO. But economically, it's easy... And Cut off all the freebies, disperse this market riff-raff, and finally sort out the diasporas.

This is exactly what you do gendarme described - while simultaneously saying that Russia cannot be a gendarme

[MCmaximus]

That's a normal father's job: to regulate the activities of his immature, slacker children.

[your1970]

Quote: MCmaximus

That's a normal father's job: to regulate the activities of his immature, slacker children.

Hmm, and who threw these orphans of blockheads on the neck of the Russian Federation and obliged should I pay them alimony?

[Letnab]

I'd like to let Armenia and its neighbors free-roam, but that won't work. One way or another, Russia will have to act as arbiter (gendarme) in that region to prevent the creation of a completely hostile alliance like a great Turan, which is the dream of radical Islamists both in the countries of that region and in our own country. Armenia, meanwhile, is making successful steps toward its complete elimination as a state. Its neighbors are almost entirely Muslim states that would gladly absorb Armenia's territory.

[Art. TO]

A remarkable article! Masterful in its style of official defense of the current government. So be it! But one could argue (in a discussion, if one is allowed:)) that the primacy of legal decisions in state and political decisions is flawed. It's even flawed as a basis for State Duma membership, despite the usefulness of purely technical document handling skills. Jurisprudence in general is the domain of formal logic, which has nothing to do with real life. And especially in matters like these!
The existence of Armenia itself is the result of a historical whim of the Russian Empire, tasked with ensuring the security of its southern borders. This was paid for with the blood of heroic soldiers. Armenians were granted every possible right to a distinctive existence, possible then and many times greater under socialism. Only one return was required: participation in the life of a unified state. Because only a joint state structure ensures the pacification of external borders. The "Bolsheviks" decided on the "right of self-determination" only out of the highest idealism of faith/confidence in the common sense of their "party" and ordinary descendants...
The formal, legal recognition of alienation—not even from a territory once conquered, not from Armenia, but from the people themselves, who, again, are present in any empire by right of being an integral part, especially one that was SOCIALIST, that is, one that swore allegiance to a common country out of "faith in the unity of the working people" (and from this form the only path is DOWNWARDS)—is a defeat. One could, of course, bring the disintegration to the level of France-Algeria, but that was the disintegration of a truly colonial system of the European type, which certainly had no place here. And, most importantly, all of this is simply an example of a lack of understanding or unwillingness to understand the true meaning of people's lives.

[MCmaximus]

The worst thing is that most people didn't understand the Bolsheviks' motives. A small nation with a narrow historical background can't possibly understand the motives of an imperialist people. Absolutely not. As long as there's an ideological fervor, you get Baghramyans and Khachaturyans. And then it all comes down to Pashinyans anyway. The environment won't let go. And Russians aren't British. We're kind.

[Art. TO]

Your thesis is correct, but very difficult to counter with arguments. Even in the fact that "they" cannot understand "from there"! :)) Those who understood it are already "Bagramyan":)) , and everyone else ... are essentially "good savages"! :)) "Good Savages" is, one might say, an Enlightenment-era political technology term meaning that any historically, seemingly more "primitive" society, that is, one that predates the Agent, is already, by its very existence (survival potential), essentially BALANCED, great - in its "universal" habits; and, therefore, already worthy of helping it move to a more technological level. In this way, real, "good" liberals THEN fought against their bourgeois "White burden-bearers" who exploited the natives.

The so-called "Bolsheviks" further ennobled the task of Enlightenment by adding the indispensable preservation of language and original culture (except for extreme contradictions) and not at all out of "kindness", but precisely from a theoretical understanding of the degree of dependence of the very capacity of an individual on his ancestral memory, assuming the presence of that very "Balance", in addition, naturally loved by a specific person
By the way, note that weapons always cut both ways: remember the "Singing Revolutions" in the Baltics? But those who had lost their "Commie" theory:) no longer had the capacity for analysis...

Therefore, "the elder always answers":)) and you can't hide behind JURISPRUDENCE here. THEY MISSED IT. And why? They stifled philosophy as a living thought, politically illiteracy assuming it was the province of SPECIALISTS. But there are no academic philosophers. There are only philosophers, regardless of education, and even WITHOUT one at all:)). And "philosophy teachers" (even triple-academicians:)) know this perfectly well..., but they don't testify against themselves.:).

The specific goal here was the following. Based on your premise, and even the "top" text, it might seem that "Russians" are superior, or something, to, say, Armenians. Again, some kind of "seniority" has crept in... :) And remember, there was a recent battle over the inclusion of the "state-forming people" in the Constitution? Well, when they "specifically formed the state," they didn't ask permission to do so. :)))). But when the time came to "pull up" the rest... That's the main question: TO WHAT?

"Russians", like any more or less established people, have their strengths and weaknesses, a face, so to speak :). And, apparently, they are not all "sweet-mouthed":), that is, they are not at all easy to get along with. But "Russian society" until recently remained the only one of the so-called "civilized nations" (that is, technological ones), which unconsciously (!) preserved in everyday life... THE MOST PRIMITIVE (that is, dialectically: from wasteful to most valuable), already lost everywhere social trait, which ALONE is the guarantee of humanity's survival as a humanistic, that is, a philanthropic project. This quality is inherent in many people, even in the most Western West :), but only as a personal trait that can easily be suppressed, which, in fact, is happening. This is where the very antagonism of "ours" and "theirs" lies, no matter how much the "new local bourgeoisie" strives to "sell out" to the West. If they can, they'll sell out all Russians, just like "Pashinyan," one for one... "Orthodoxy" doesn't interfere with "Chastnik."
The entire so-called "ideology" should not be in slogans and chants, but rather in its sole and sufficient CONSCIOUS assimilation, finding a way to teach and retain it.
The answer to your question: you couldn’t even explain to yourself what to expect from Armenians?

[Pravodel]

Russia is relegating Karabakh from the realm of war to the realm of history.

I hope Russia doesn't have to leave its base in Gyumri after the Armenian elections and another victory for the traitorous Armenian leader, Pashinyan...

[your1970]

Quote: The Truth

another victory for the Armenian traitor Pashinyan...

Don't you find his re-election a problem for the countries? Apparently, the Armenians want him, don't they?

[Pravodel]

Apparently the Armenians want it, right?

I'm not Armenian, so I can't say what's going on in the heads of Armenians who elect a traitor to the Armenian people every time...

[MCmaximus]

Armenians are a strange people. Those in Russia are ardent Russian patriots. Those in Armenia are ardent Armenian patriots. How do they understand this?
In general, Armenians in Armenia make up 5 or 10 percent of Armenians living anywhere.

[alexputnik17]

Today, the news reported it. Whether it's right or wrong, I don't know: Rostekhnadzor has uncovered a whole host of violations in food shipments from Armenia... a number of shipments have been suspended, and an investigation has begun.
"The ice has broken..." (c).

[your1970]

Quote: alexputnik17

Incorrect, I don't know: Rostekhnadzor has uncovered a whole host of violations in food supplies from Armenia.

Incorrect - Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostechnadzor) is engaged in only technology...

[alexputnik17]

Quote: your1970

Quote: alexputnik17

As for me, Russia cannot be such a gendarme-policemanPuffing out your cheeks, scaring, scolding, calling you on the carpet, IMHO. But economically, it's easy... And Cut off all the freebies, disperse this market riff-raff, and finally sort out the diasporas.

This is exactly what you do gendarme described - while simultaneously saying that Russia cannot be a gendarme

Sergey, I'm not talking about political and forceful methods. But economic ones. For now. We are for peace. Well, our Guarantor. And administrative and criminal ones. "YOU" - with a mustache. We ourselves, without all of you. We have nothing to do with it.
There are no diasporas in Russian law. Home. Everything has to do with it. Desirable.

[alexputnik17]

Quote: your1970

(Rostekhnadzor)

No, that's not it. I know that. It's happened. I registered equipment. Construction equipment.
Like Rospotrebnadzor.

[alexputnik17]

Quote: Letnab

Armenia is taking successful steps towards its complete elimination as a state...

Judging by his actions, Pashinyan is already in his second term, jumping out of his pants to make this happen. Naturally, he's blaming Russia for this and asking it for cheap energy resources...