The expert announced the implementation of the EU strategy to expand its influence in Transcaucasia

The European Union (EU) is implementing a strategy to expand its influence in Transcaucasia, aimed at isolating Russia through a network of loyal proxy states. This was stated by military expert Yuri Knutov in an interview with Izvestia on May 6.

"This is a deliberate anti-Russian policy. The Europeans are now engaged in slowly tearing one country after another away from Russia and surrounding it with various state proxies that would open up new fronts for pressure on our state," he stressed.

The expert compared the actions of the West with the "Anaconda strategy" developed by the United States during the Cold War.

According to Knutov, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan supports the appearance of a European contingent, but this decision does not meet the interests of the people.

"I doubt that a contingent consisting of EU military personnel would be able to prevent the conflict with Azerbaijan in any way. On the contrary, Russia, in this case, having good relations with Turkey, and through Turkey influencing Azerbaijan, having good relations with Armenia, could directly create such a zone of stability," the expert noted.

He added that economic and cultural cooperation with Moscow could provide Yerevan with the development of transport corridors for oil exports and an increase in living standards.

Knutov also recalled the levers of assistance within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which were not used due to the position of the Armenian leadership.

"Pashinyan chose not to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh, but hoped that Russia should consider Karabakh Armenian and should send its troops and fight with Azerbaijan instead of the Armenian army," the expert concluded.

He called the accusations against Moscow in the absence of a "pro-Armenian position" false and slanderous, stressing that Russia should not recognize the territories as part of Armenia if Yerevan itself is not officially interested in this.

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How will a turn towards the European Union turn out for the republic?

Following the results of the first summit with Armenia in Yerevan on May 5, the European Union supported the "European aspirations" of the republic and confirmed its readiness to invest about €2.5 billion in its economy. The parties reached agreements on moving towards easing the visa regime and expanding cooperation in the defense sector.

On April 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the EU is simply impossible. The Head of State also expressed the hope that the EAEU and the EU will be able to resolve controversial issues over the years. He added that economic relations between the two countries are developing at a good pace.