Russian Foreign Ministry calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to exercise restraint

Russia is deeply concerned about escalating tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh and is calling on the sides to exercise restraint, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

She has said that the ministry expressed serious concern about the escalating tensions in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Zakharova said there have been repeated ceasefire violations in recent days, which resulted in the loss of life on both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides.

The diplomat strongly urged the sides to exercise restraint and take steps to de-escalate the situation.

Zakharova said that Russia "reaffirms the need for strict compliance with the provisions of the statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia of November 9, 2020 on the complete cessation of fire and all hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict." The spokeswoman also stated that "any issues related to ensuring security and everyday life in the zone of responsibility of the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent should be resolved peacefully through communication between the parties under the auspices of the RPC."

"What has happened reaffirms that it’s imperative that Baku and Yerevan promptly return to negotiations as part of the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statements by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia of November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021, as well as October 31, 2022, including those relating to the unblocking of regional lines of communication, the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the preparation of a peace treaty," she said.