Zelenskyy to visit Armenia and possibly Azerbaijan early next week

Rumours first reported last week that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may visit Armenia were confirmed on 26 February by a diplomatic source of Radio Azatutyun.

Source: European Pravda

Details: Radio Azatutyun’s source said Zelenskyy’s visit to Armenia will most likely take place next Monday, on 4 March. In that case, "Zelenskyy will also travel to Azerbaijan," the media outlet said.

If this information is confirmed, it will be Zelenskyy’s first visit to the Southern Caucasus not only since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but also since he took office in 2019.

Zelenskyy has met with the leaders of both Azerbaijan and Armenia at international assemblies. For instance, in early October 2023, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Zelenskyy met for the first time on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Granada.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry has declined to comment officially on the news of Zelenskyy’s visit, but MPs from Civil Contract, the ruling party, hinted in a conversation with Radio Azatutyun that it is true.

"We don’t care how Russia reacts or doesn’t react [to Zelenskyy’s visit]," said Gagik Melkonian, one of the lawmakers.

Zelenskyy’s possible visit to Armenia will take place amid a deterioration in relations between Yerevan and Moscow.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated on numerous occasions that Armenia is not an ally of Russia in its war against Ukraine. Recently he said Yerevan had "frozen" its membership of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, a military alliance de facto headed by Moscow.

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