Opinion from Baku: "Superpowers fight each other in third countries"
Former Azerbaijani FM Zulfugarov’s assessment of the Russia-Ukraine war
The war that Russia is waging on the territory of Ukraine continues to be the focus of attention of political experts around the world, including in Azerbaijan. According to former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofik Zulfugarov, the superpowers have always preferred to confront each other on the territory of third countries. “If the war is transferred to the territory of Russia, then the situation will change radically”, the diplomat notes.
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Commenting on the situation in Ukraine today, former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofik Zulfugarov said that there is a convention according to which countries that own missile technologies do not have the right to transfer missile technologies with a range of more than 300 kilometers to a third party. Therefore, the diplomat believes, one should not be surprised by the fact that the West is preparing to provide Kyiv with missile systems with a range of only up to 80 kilometers.
“Russia fell into the political trap of the West”
former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
“With the outbreak of the war, Russia fell into the political trap of the West. And now the West has enough opportunities to persecute Russia. But if hostilities are transferred from Ukraine to the territory of Russia itself, then the situation will change completely.
In such a scenario, the behavior of the Kremlin elite will be very different from what it does now. And the fact that nuclear drills began in Russia on June 1 is also a serious signal”, Zulfugarov said.
Unofficial rules and red lines
“You know, there’s really nothing new here. Even during the Cold War, during the existence of the USSR, there were conflicts similar to the Ukrainian one. For example, the wars in Vietnam, in Korea …
It is obvious that the superpowers are trying to fight each other on the territories of third countries, and in every possible way avoid crossing unspoken red lines. Even in those days, there was about such an informal agreement.
“Heaviest battles in Ukraine are yet to come”
And what are the red lines, you ask. The fact is that after the use of any weapon, conditions are created for the use of stronger weapons. But there is a red line that cannot be crossed.
From this point of view, the mentioned unofficial rules of the game apply to the war in Ukraine as well. Today these red lines are known and they are even mentioned in the statements of the parties.
For example, the words of American leader Joe Biden that the States are ready to provide missile systems to Ukraine, but only with a range of up to 80 kilometers. Even Zelensky himself is forced to declare that they are not going to launch missile strikes on Russian territory.
Analyzing these statements, one can come to the conclusion that there are some kind of framework and unofficial agreements, and no one can violate them”, Zulfugarov emphasized.
Moves and games
“Speaking of Ukraine, in one of his statements, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once used the expression “moves and games”. Yes, you can feel that there are some games going on here.
And to our great regret, ordinary people become victims of these games”, the former foreign minister of Azerbaijan summed up.
