Armenia Warns of Azerbaijan’s Potential ‘Full-scale War’

Azerbaijan is allegedly preparing for a “full-scale war” against Armenia, as warned by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday, following a recent border skirmish that resulted in the death of four Armenian troops.

Ongoing tensions between the neighboring countries have persisted since Baku regained control of the Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh region in a swift military offensive last September.

During a government meeting, Pashinyan stated, “Our analysis indicates that Azerbaijan aims to initiate military actions along certain sections of the border, potentially escalating the conflict into a full-scale war against Armenia. This intention is discernible in Azerbaijan’s statements and actions.”

Armenia is apprehensive that Azerbaijan, buoyed by its success in Karabakh, may attempt an invasion of Armenian territory to establish a land bridge to its exclave of Nakhchivan.

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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, recently re-elected, countered these claims in his inauguration speech on Wednesday, asserting that it is Armenia, not Azerbaijan, with outstanding territorial demands. He emphasized, “We harbor no territorial aspirations towards Armenia. They should abandon their claims. Adopting a language of blackmail in negotiations will have severe consequences.”

Despite previous statements from Pashinyan and Aliyev suggesting the possibility of a peace agreement by the end of the previous year, international mediation efforts have yet to achieve a breakthrough. The recent skirmish on the border, with both sides accusing each other of opening fire, has further complicated the situation, resulting in the death of four Armenian soldiers.