Putin’s Return Threatens Armenia with Loss of Independence: Opinion

Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency next year threatens Armenia with the total loss of independence, said Caucasus Center of Peace-Making Initiatives President Georgy Vanyan in an interview with Vesti.az.

“The empire will begin the recovery process — whether everything will be peaceful or there will be an escalation of conflict depends on circumstances beyond our control. The Russian empire is able to digest the perpetuity of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Under its influence, the conflict may be disguised as another Kremlin decision, but the conflict will continue to be nurtured until a new reopening. What remains for us to do? Hope for Russian resistance to undermine Putin’s seat? Hope for Georgia, the South Caucasus, the US, NATO? Is it possible to preserve independence only on hope?

“The risk of the losing independence should trigger the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. As history shows, even the determination of one of the parties is able to radically change the situation,” said the Armenian human rights activist.