Yerevan: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Saturday that Yerevan does not require external guarantors to secure peace with Azerbaijan.

According to Anadolu Agency, Pashinyan criticized the notion advocated by certain political groups that Armenia should seek security guarantors, suggesting that such past dependencies have proven to be unreliable.

Pashinyan highlighted an example involving Belarus's president, who, during an official visit to Baku, openly admitted to participating in the preparatory work for the 44-day war. Pashinyan pointed out that this individual was considered one of Armenia's security guarantors and a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia must break away from a repetitive cycle where the country becomes a tool for others and then is discarded. He described this as a significant historical and political shift for Armenia.

The relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been strained since 1991, following Armenia's military occupation of Karabakh and seven surrounding regions, territories internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. In 2020, Azerbaijan regained most of these territories through a 44-day conflict that concluded with a Russian-brokered peace agreement, paving the way for normalization and demarcation talks.

In September 2023, Azerbaijan asserted full sovereignty over Karabakh after the surrender of separatist forces in the area. Last August, both nations signed a declaration at a trilateral summit at the White House, attended by US President Donald Trump, to end longstanding hostilities, with commitments to cease hostilities, reopen transport routes, and normalize relations.