We Won't Pretend Not to Notice the Closer Ties Between Yerevan, Baku, and Kiev - Zakharova

The Russian public categorically rejects the rapprochement of the Ukrainian authorities with partners and allied countries of Russia. This was stated by Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, during a press briefing, commenting on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statements about strengthening relations with Baku and restoring ties with Yerevan.

According to Zakharova, this issue concerns not only the position of state structures in Russia. She noted that Russian citizens also have questions about how officials from Moscow's allied and partner countries can overlook what the Russian side considers the consequences of Kiev's actions.

“Our citizens, who are literally the targets of the terrorist attacks of the Kiev regime, are asking how it is possible that the representatives and politicians of the countries who are our allies, partners, and friends do not see all this,” Zakharova said.

She added that in Russia, visits to Kiev and contacts with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities are condemned. Zakharova also raised the question of what purpose those in partner countries of Russia have in hosting representatives of the Ukrainian side and providing them a platform to make statements against Russia.

“Should we silently observe this or turn a blind eye, pretending that we haven’t heard or seen? [...] We will certainly appeal to their conscience, but we will not pretend that we do not notice all of this. They need to fully understand what risks such a line carries, including in the context of relations with our country,” stated the Russian Foreign Ministry representative.

Zakharova also touched upon Zelensky's statements regarding Ukraine's role in the independence of post-Soviet countries, asserting that the Ukrainian president has no right to make judgments about the independence of other countries.

Earlier, Armenia's Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan had made a working visit to Kiev, where he met with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Mishchenko. In early May, Volodymyr Zelensky also participated in a summit of the European Political Community held in Yerevan, alongside European leaders. Later, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the lack of an official negative response from the Armenian side to Zelensky’s speech in Yerevan does not align with the spirit of Armenian-Russian relations.