Charter Signed Between Armenia and the USA. Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas. Is Russia Facing Isolation? – Program “Complex Question” with Rauf Mirkadyrov

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed the Charter on Strategic Partnership between Yerevan and Washington in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, January 14.

Speaking about the document, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States supports Armenia’s efforts to strengthen its independence and sovereignty over its territory.

Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement, bringing an end to a 15-month-long war. The agreement is set to take effect on Sunday, January 19.

U.S. President Joe Biden made a statement regarding the ceasefire. He supported the agreement and called it the result of his country’s intensive and successful diplomacy.
According to the agreement, Israel is to withdraw its army from Gaza, while Hamas is to release all detainees.

The impact of these events on global and regional stability was discussed in the program “Complex Question” by political observer Rauf Mirkadyrov.
In his opinion, the document signed by the Armenian Foreign Minister and the U.S. Secretary of State does not drastically change the balance of power in the region and is more declarative in nature. However, it opens the way for the signing of various intergovernmental agreements. This is not the only document signed by Armenia that aligns it more closely with the West.

“For instance, the Armenian government has approved a bill to begin the process of joining the European Union. The document has been submitted to the parliament for approval. This reflects a general trend,” the political analyst noted.

According to him, the West’s stance, particularly that of the United States, should not cause concern, as their declared interests include: removing the South Caucasus from Russian influence and establishing peace and cooperation in the region.

“There are no facts, as we often claim, that France is supplying Armenia with weapons. What is needed is an atmosphere of cooperation, which will lead to the creation of a unified East-West transport corridor and diversification of transport routes. All of this aligns with our interests, as it also involves the creation of a new security system,” Mirkadyrov believes.

He noted that Azerbaijan itself declined strategic partnerships with the United States.
“The same goes for the European Union. Azerbaijan and the EU have long maintained intensive friendly relations. The foundation of Azerbaijan-EU relations was the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Negotiations for a new comprehensive agreement began in February 2017, intended to replace the existing agreement. However, we demanded a comprehensive, strategic agreement and successfully brought the negotiations to a deadlock. Azerbaijan does not wish to be a strategic partner of either the U.S. or Europe,” the expert explained.

Mirkadyrov also remarked that Russia’s significance to Turkey, which had been a relief for Moscow amidst isolation from most of the world, has recently diminished considerably. However, the main threat to Russia remains sanctions.

“In essence, the Biden administration has simplified the task for the Trump administration. Recently, numerous sanctions have been imposed on Russia, particularly targeting its tanker fleet. According to media reports, these sanctions have left about 60 Russian oil tankers unable to dock at ports in India, China, or any other country,” the expert concluded.