Ednews presents an interview with Anton Bredykhin, scientific director of the Russian Center for Ethnic and International Studies:

- How do you assess the prospects of the peace process in the South Caucasus? Will it be possible to sign a peace treaty with Armenia in 2024?

- In my opinion, as long as Nikol Pashinyan is the head of Armenia, it will not be possible to sign final agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan. At least some progress can be achieved in Armenia only after the change of power. In all seasons of the past year, predictions were made that a step would be taken for a peace agreement, but we see that nothing has happened yet.

- What is the probability of France penetrating the South Caucasus region through Armenia?

- Of course, France is a country that wants to maximize its influence in the region. I think he will go beyond Armenia to strengthen his position, and I think he will get more involved in the affairs of Georgia. And, of course, he will try to reshape the situation for himself and try to show that only he is capable of solving regional problems.

- According to what was written in the Western media, the President of the Council of Europe, Charles Michel, announced that he will run for the European Parliament. This, in turn, means that Michelle will soon have to leave her position. One of the initial candidates, Viktor Orban, will be appointed to his post. What new perspectives can such a change of position bring to Caucasus region?

- If we talk about what is happening in the European Union at the moment, we will see that Viktor Orban will take office instead of Charles Michel. However, there is a fact that Viktor Orbán is too pro-Russian, and accordingly, his policy is specifically aimed at preserving nation-states, national values, and traditional values. He will not tolerate LGBT, which is banned in Russia, or any other deviations that exist for European society and become the norm. Therefore, of course, instead, the EU will try to put forward other candidates against him. Most likely, Orbán will not be the head of the European Union.

- Finally, how would you evaluate Russia's policy in the South Caucasus in 2023?

- Russia was able to maximize its influence, presence and friendship in the South Caucasus, primarily with Ilham Aliyev, and evaluated the events in the region accordingly. I think that Russia's position in the region in the past year can only be evaluated positively. Accordingly, we see that Russia was successfully resisting these attacks of the West, the wishes of the West, and was trying to protect its position in the region.

Akbar Novruz