Macron Defends French Arms Sales to Armenia in Response to Azerbaijani Threat and Criticism

French President Emmanuel Macron has stood by France's multimillion-dollar defense contracts with Armenia, which have been met with sharp criticism from Azerbaijan. An Azerbaijani journalist questioned Macron about the arms deals during a news conference at the end of Thursday’s European Political Community (EPC) summit in England.

In response, Macron defended France's decision to supply arms to Armenia. "It is normal to respond to the request of a sovereign country which wants to equip itself [militarily] and which thinks that it could be attacked by another," Macron stated. He pointed out the significant military buildup in Azerbaijan over the past decade and referenced the 2020 war initiated by Azerbaijan against Armenia.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry quickly condemned Macron’s remarks, accusing France of having a "biased attitude" towards Azerbaijan and hindering regional peace efforts. Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizade defended Azerbaijan's military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh and ongoing military buildup, asserting that they serve "just goals." Hajizade also labeled Armenia as an "occupying country," contrasting it with Azerbaijan's stance.

France pledged last October to sell defensive weapons and provide other military assistance to Armenia, marking a significant deepening of French-Armenian relations. The defense contracts include advanced radars, short-range air-defense systems, and armored personnel carriers. Last month, another contract was signed for the delivery of 36 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers to the Armenian military.

During the EPC summit, Macron reaffirmed France's support for Armenia’s territorial integrity and its efforts to negotiate a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. He met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the summit. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also attended the summit, hosted by the British government at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

Despite both leaders being present at the summit, Yerevan and Baku blamed each other for preventing a potential meeting between Pashinyan and Aliyev. The strained relations between the two countries continue to be a significant point of contention in regional politics.French President Emmanuel Macron has stood by France's multimillion-dollar defense contracts with Armenia, which have been met with sharp criticism from Azerbaijan. An Azerbaijani journalist questioned Macron about the arms deals during a news conference at the end of Thursday’s European Political Community (EPC) summit in England.

In response, Macron defended France's decision to supply arms to Armenia. "It is normal to respond to the request of a sovereign country which wants to equip itself [militarily] and which thinks that it could be attacked by another," Macron stated. He pointed out the significant military buildup in Azerbaijan over the past decade and referenced the 2020 war initiated by Azerbaijan against Armenia.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry quickly condemned Macron’s remarks, accusing France of having a "biased attitude" towards Azerbaijan and hindering regional peace efforts. Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizade defended Azerbaijan's military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh and ongoing military buildup, asserting that they serve "just goals." Hajizade also labeled Armenia as an "occupying country," contrasting it with Azerbaijan's stance.

France pledged last October to sell defensive weapons and provide other military assistance to Armenia, marking a significant deepening of French-Armenian relations. The defense contracts include advanced radars, short-range air-defense systems, and armored personnel carriers. Last month, another contract was signed for the delivery of 36 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers to the Armenian military.

During the EPC summit, Macron reaffirmed France's support for Armenia’s territorial integrity and its efforts to negotiate a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. He met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the summit. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also attended the summit, hosted by the British government at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

Despite both leaders being present at the summit, Yerevan and Baku blamed each other for preventing a potential meeting between Pashinyan and Aliyev. The strained relations between the two countries continue to be a significant point of contention in regional politics.