Thread:

In 1994, a defeated Azerbaijan signed a defeatist ceasefire agreement. They resorted to delay tactics, which included promoting the involvement of powers other than just Russia, to negotiate a final peace deal. In the meantime, they rebuilt their economy and military.

In 2020, a defeated Armenia has similarly signed a defeatist ceasefire agreement, with conditions much worse for the future security of Stepanakert and Yerevan. Like with Baku in 1994, it is not in Armenia's interests to speedily finalise this awful deal as a lasting solution.

Today, Putin said he is backing Armenia's Prime Minister in order to finalise the conditions of the ceasefire deal as a permanent solution to Nagorno Karabakh. While this might be in Russia's and Azerbaijan's interests, it is most certainly not in Armenian interests.

With his statement, Putin has affirmed that keeping Pashinyan as PM is key to memorialising this deal. Therefore if you want to negotiate the deal, you remove the dealmaking PM Russia is desperate to keep involved. The path is clear for the Armenian people, should they choose it.

I acknowledge objectivity is difficult at these times, but in political and policy debate, it is integral. Emotional cries from the opposition or the government are unhelpful when the clock is ticking against the preservation of the Armenian nation.

The Artsakh President's formation of a unity government is welcome. It is also necessary in Armenia to usher in new elections. This is as necessary as the revolution was in stopping the autocratic power-grab of the Sargsyan regime. I backed the revolution. I back change today.