NATO’s efforts to expand its presence in the region do not contribute to stability, the Kremlin announced, commenting on the visit of the Alliance’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, to the South Caucasus region.

Stoltenberg on Tuesday wrapped up a three-day visit during which he held talks with the leaders of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, countries formerly ruled by Moscow as part of the Soviet Union.

In particular, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “NATO’s efforts to expand its influence and presence in the South Caucasus are unlikely to enhance stability.”

Peskov said the Kremlin is closely monitoring Stoltenberg’s visitbut that “such contacts are the sovereign right of the Caucasus states”.

Although Russia has traditionally been the dominant power in the South Caucasus, it now competes for influence there with other players, including Turkey, Iran and the West.

Georgia, whose breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are under the protection of Russian troops, has long declared its intention to eventually join NATO, while Azerbaijan has close ties to Turkey, also a NATO member. .

Armenia, until recently Russia’s closest ally in the South Caucasus, has distanced itself from Moscow’s influence in recent years, accusing it of failing to defend it from neighboring Azerbaijan.

Although Armenia remains an ally of Russia, it has repeatedly said it does not support Moscow’s war in Ukraine and has sent humanitarian aid to Kiev, angering Russia.
In Yerevan on Tuesday, Stoltenberg praised the country’s pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his “solidarity” with Ukraine.