French President Emmanuel Macron has stated Russia is using the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan to destabilize the situation in the Caucasus region. He said this during an interview with France 2 television. He added that it is a “destabilizing maneuver” by Russia.
"5,000 Russian soldiers are there (in Armenia) allegedly to guarantee the border … Russia has used this conflict which dates several decades back meddling into it and playing Azerbaijan's game with Turkish complicity. It came back to weaken Armenia, a country which nevertheless was close to it," Macron said. The French president also said that Russia “wants to create disorder in the Caucasus”.
Speaking about the EU-Azerbaijani gas deal, Macron emphasized that France does not buy Azerbaijan's gas and there is no agreement. “Several European countries have gas agreements, of course. But I'm going to tell you, with regard to France and with regard to the voice of Europe, and I'm telling you face to face, and for all our compatriots, our values and our principles cannot be bought with gas or oil,” the French President added in the interview.
It is to be recalled that at the quadrilateral meeting of the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron and the President of the European Council Charles Michel was held on 6 October in Prague an agreement was reached to send a civilian EU mission to Armenia's border with Azerbaijan.
