Russia and Azerbaijan have no problems in economic area - Overchuk

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said Russia and Azerbaijan understand each other well in the economic sphere and work constructively in it at the level of governments and enterprises.

Alexei Overchuk commented on the current Moscow-Baku economic relations, emphasizing that the sides understand each other very well and work together constructively. He also touched upon the situation in the South Caucasus and the potential negative consequences for Armenia if it chooses a European path.

Russia and Azerbaijan

The deputy PM first stressed that current economic relations between Moscow and Baku are normal and that constructive joint work is underway. An intergovernmental commission was recently held in Astrakhan.

"We have normal economic relations with Azerbaijan. I never tire of repeating this. Just recently we held an intergovernmental commission in Astrakhan, where both sides stressed that we have no economic problems. We understand each other very well and work constructively both at the level of economic blocs of governments and at the level of enterprises and businesses. Here everything is going well for us," Overchuk said.

Zangezur Corridor

The issue of the Armenian section of the Zangezur Corridor, sometimes referred to as the "Trump route," has been discussed by the Russian side with both Yerevan and Baku.

"Of course, we discussed this issue during my trip to Yerevan and during meetings with Azerbaijani colleagues in Astrakhan. We have an understanding of how this will proceed," Overchuk said.

This transport corridor is expected to help form a unified Eurasian transport framework.

Trilateral Group on the South Caucasus

The official reported that the trilateral working group on unblocking communications in the South Caucasus has not met since July 2023. However, contacts are maintained on a bilateral level, with an exchange of views on current developments.

"The co-chairs of the trilateral working group are also my colleagues from the intergovernmental commissions, and we communicate frequently. The group worked meticulously, delving into the smallest details and considering various aspects of unblocking [transport routes] in the South Caucasus. We examined everything from all angles. In principle, all decisions within the trilateral working group have been formulated," Overchuk explained.

Russia and Armenia

The deputy PM recalled that a year ago, when discussions about rapprochement with the EU intensified in Armenia, it was noted that Russian businesses were already beginning to approach trade relations with Armenia with caution. There were concerns that this shift could affect bilateral trade.

"The statistics we have today show that if our bilateral trade with Armenia was $12.4 billion last year, this year we will probably exceed $6 billion. That is, the mere cost of these discussions for Armenia's trade turnover amounted to $6 billion," Overchuk said.

If customs-free trade between the countries is discontinued in the future, the situation could severely impact producers in Armenia, particularly in agriculture, as Russia is a premium export market for Armenian fruits and vegetables.

According to the Russian official, choosing the EU is a very unfavorable scenario for Armenia, primarily for ordinary people. Overchuk told TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum that Russia does not want this and is speaking openly about it.