Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation Ariel Cohen said that he will be surprised if Moscow, jointly with the United States, puts pressure on Armenia.

According to him, United States’ recent inactivity in the South Caucasus allowed Moscow to take a leading role in the region, also strengthening positions in the OSCE Minsk Group.

Cohen noted that the signing of the protocol on extension of terms of the Russian military base deployment in Gyumri, Armenia, indicates the increased influence of Moscow in the region. “This enhances the possibility of Armenia’s protection by Russia, shifting the existing balance in the region,” he said.

The American expert also noted that actually the U.S., as a mediator, cannot do much to promote talks but the long awaited appointment of a U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan could be positive for the process.

“Most likely, we will witness a lot of meetings and negotiations in the near future, but not a considerable progress,” Trend News quoted Cohen as saying.