Russia's interests have definitely lessened. When Pashinyan came into power in 2019 and opened a pro-western orientation, Russia was hostile to that. That could have been one reason that it decided to back away from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 and 2022. Of course, there are the challenges with Ukraine.
Russia's kept its hands in. It's condemned Armenia for joining the ICC. Armenia is trapped now. Iran is probably the closest geopolitical ally in the region.
Russia could be rather dangerous. It's turning its attention to Georgia right now. There's not as much of a void as we think. The Russians are still there, ready to act, but they are diverted at the moment. This is why Turkey's actions.... We think Turkey wouldn't have operated this way in supporting Azerbaijan had Russia objected more formally as Armenia's ally and as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Going back to the previous question on the Zangezur corridor, Turkey is seized with linking the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea to be able to move through the Eurasian corridor. They're not going to let that opportunity pass. This is a critical point when we have to try to figure out how we can work this peacefully.
Pashinyan's trying to do that right now. That's his whole peace plan: to open these transport corridors under the sovereign control of these countries, but with the understanding that they're open. Can we get the Turks to buy into that? Can we convince the Azerbaijanis to do it? I think that's the moment that we're facing now.