Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian welcomed the process to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia, according to a joint statement published after the two leaders met in Moscow on Tuesday.
Putin and Pashinian held a meeting in the Russian capital, where they discussed a number of issues, including the trilateral working group with Azerbaijan, as well as the 3+3 format for regional cooperation.
“Putin and Pashinian welcomed the process toward normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey, supported by Russia,” the statement read.
The two leaders also highlighted the importance of the 3+3 platform in the Caucasus for regional cooperation. The 3+3 platform includes Turkey, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has frequently called for a six-nation platform for permanent peace, stability and cooperation in the region, saying it would be a win-win initiative for all regional actors in the Caucasus.
Turkey believes that permanent peace is possible through mutual security-based cooperation among the states and people of the South Caucasus region.
Georgia refuses to attend the platform meetings, citing Russian aggression toward the ex-Soviet nation.
Still, Georgia supports enhanced relations and cooperation in the region with other neighboring countries. It has taken effective steps with Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia to ensure lasting peace in the region, the country's prime minister said in December.
Last week, Pashinian said Yerevan will try its best to ensure that the ongoing peace discussions with Turkey are not stalled.
In January, Pashinian said Armenia wants to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey without any preconditions.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic or commercial ties for three decades, and the talks are the first attempt to restore links since a 2009 peace accord. That deal was never ratified and ties have remained tense. Following the war over Nagorno-Karabakh in which Turkey supported Azerbaijan against Armenia, Turkish-Armenian relations have entered a new phase, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying Turkey is ready for dialogue with Armenia. Azerbaijan also supports the process.
With their borders closed to one another, Turkey and Armenia have no direct trade routes. Indirect trade has risen marginally since 2013 but was just $3.8 million (TL 51.2 million) in 2021, according to official Turkish data.
Relations between Armenia and Turkey have historically been complicated. Turkey’s position on the events of 1915 is that Armenians lost their lives in eastern Anatolia after some sided with the invading Russians and revolted against the Ottoman forces. The subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties, with massacres by militaries and militia groups from both sides increasing the death toll.
Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as “genocide” but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
