Political scientist Suren Sargsyan considers the election of the president of the Russian Federation predictable: Vladimir Putin has no competitor. Mr. Sargsyan excluded the scenario whereby Putin might not be elected. At the same time the political scientist mentioned that the US insists the sanctions are aimed at not Russia but Putin and from that perspective the US cherishes a hope that changes will take place in the Russian Federation and Putin will not be re-elected in the president’s position.

On this occasion Suren Sargsyan explained: “The rankings of the President of the Russian Federation are high and there is no competitor to him through percentage ratio. The election of the president of the Russian Federation is predictable. Putin has not competitor and it appears that the citizens of the Russian federation highly estimate the work he does in the Russian President’s, and formerly, PM’s position.”

Suren Sargsyan does not believe that in the Russo-American relations a positive change will take place: the regime of sanctions will proceed and deepen. Referring to the relations with the Republic of Armenia after the elections of the Russian president, Mr. Sargsyan told: “The second wave of the US sanctions against Russia will have an influence on Armenia alike. It is not a secret that the Republic of Armenia is number 1 economic partner and the strategic ally of the Russian Federation. It is another question whether the American sanctions to be applied against the Russian military industry will be a threat to the Republic of Armenia. If Armenia has only one possible market to acquire weapons, inasmuch as Russia is our strategic partner and we buy weapons only from it, then Azerbaijan can acquire weapons from other countries as well. If the sanctions are applied against the Russian organization, they will be applied against Armenia as well, and it means that the military balance will be broken in the region, which will have severe consequences for us and our neighbors will make use of the situation.”

Addressing to the resolution of Karabakh conflict and the future developments, Mr. Sargsyan assured – there is no alternative to Minsk Group format: “If it is demolished, no other format will be possible to be created in its place, because Azerbaijan is against of any type of negotiation process. Imagine, Azerbaijan tries to replace the issue on the UN platform, a complete fiasco is waiting for us, inasmuch as you know that the states of the Islamic Conference have supported Azerbaijan in all international structures, the UN included. Any format entering the UN has supporters.”

Therefore, according to Suren Sargsyan, everything should be done as to support Minsk Group efforts.

Tatev HARUTYUNYAN