On March 20, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal made strong statements regarding Russia's stance towards Armenia during the annual dinner of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF).

Attal accused Russia of seeking to punish Armenia for its pursuit of peace and commitment to principles that Moscow does not respect, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He highlighted Armenia's recent accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as evidence of its dedication to democracy and the rule of law.

Attal further criticized Russia for its perceived complacency regarding Azerbaijan's use of force in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Armenians constituted the majority until recently. He emphasized the importance of assisting Armenia in defending its independence, democracy, territory, and sovereignty in the face of these challenges.

Response from Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry responded to the remarks made by Gabriel Attal, labeling them as unacceptable and baseless.

In a statement released on March 21, the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan called on Paris to refrain from meddling in Azerbaijan's internal affairs and cease making provocative statements. The commentary, attributed to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Aykhan Hajizada, criticized Attal for unilaterally siding with Armenia through his statements.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reminded the French Prime Minister that Azerbaijan's actions, including its anti-terrorist operations against remnants of the Armenian Armed Forces on its sovereign territory, are in line with international law and the resolutions of the UN Security Council, of which France is a permanent member. The statement emphasized that Azerbaijan's actions do not contradict established norms and principles of international law.

Furthermore, the diplomat urged France to learn from historical lessons, refrain from interfering in Azerbaijan's internal affairs, and halt the issuance of provocative statements.