MOSCOW

Russia's deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said on Saturday that the US wants "to open a second front against Russia" in the South Caucasus.

Speaking in an interview with the Russian state news agency RIA, Galuzin criticized "external interference" in the affairs of Caucasus, meaning Armenia's turn to the West over the situation in the Karabakh region where Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty in the fall.

The Armenian authorities blamed Russia for the "loss" of the territory that had been under Yerevan's occupation for some 30 years, and started seeking support against Azerbaijan in the West.

In this regard, Galuzin warned that "betting on 'miraculous' Western aid is illusory and dangerous."

The diplomat pointed out that the West's mediation goes according to the same scenario everywhere -- first it interferes, then, when the situation becomes tense, "flees, leaving behind a scorched field."

"Washington has long made no secret of the fact that they consider the South Caucasus as a springboard for opening a second front against Russia," he said, adding that such aspirations "fundamentally contradict the genuine interests of the region's nations."

As part of the anti-Russian policy in South Caucasus, discussions are raised about the presence of its military base in Armenia, he said.

"The treaty about its (base's) deployment was signed on March 16, 1995 in the interest of the both states. According to Article 26 of the agreement, the term of stay of our servicemen is 49 years, after which the agreement is automatically extended for a five-year period," he said.

Taking into account the legal foundation of the matter, Moscow considers any discussions about its military presence in Armenia "harmful and inappropriate," the official stressed.

Galuzin emphasized that Russia has been making efforts to help Armenia and Azerbaijan draft a mutually acceptable peace treaty and considers creating conditions for its subsequent implementation and observance to be of equal importance.

Addressing the situation in Ukraine, Galuzin said Moscow sees no political will for peace either in Kyiv or in the West, Ukraine's presidential ban on talks with Russia continues to be in effect, and Kyiv rejected all peace mediation initiatives presented by various countries in recent months.

"At the same time, the so-called peace formula proposed by the Ukrainian president in November last year has nothing to do with peace, it is a set of ultimatums to Russia justifying the continuation of hostilities," he stressed.

Asked about the future of Russia's gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine, Galuzin said "Kyiv declared its refusal to transit Russian gas to Europe ... and its unwillingness to negotiate with Russia on the extension of the current contract, which expires on Dec. 31, 2024."

The EU, for its part, has not expressed its desire to stop purchases of Russian gas supplied through the territory of Ukraine, therefore, the Russian authorities will outline the concrete steps based on realities and presence or absence of demand for the Russian energy resources in Europe, he said.