YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. Russia strongly calls on the leadership of Azerbaijan to take urgent measures to immediately unblock the Lachin Corridor, ARMENPRESS reports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said in a message.

The Russian Foreign Ministry considered worrying the fact that today the situation around Nagorno Karabakh is developing in a negative scenario.

"The humanitarian crisis is deepening. The population has an acute shortage of food, medicine, basic necessities, is practically deprived of electricity and gas. This can bring the most dramatic consequences for the Armenians of Karabakh, the ordinary residents of the region. We strongly call on the leadership of Azerbaijan to take urgent measures to immediately unblock the Lachin Corridor, to resume the unimpeded movement of citizens, vehicles, and cargo in both directions, as well as to restore energy supply," the statement said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation also noted that Armenia recognized Nagorno Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan in the meetings held under the auspices of the EU in October 2022 and in May 2023.

"We respect the sovereign decision of the leadership of Armenia, but it radically changed the fundamental conditions under which the declaration of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan was signed on November 9, 2020, as well as the status of the Russian peacekeeping force deployed in the region. We believe that under these conditions, the responsibility for the fate of the Armenian population of Karabakh should not be transferred to third countries. It is necessary to immediately start the preparation of the peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan, based on the previously reached agreements," said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Russian side emphasized that reliable and clear guarantees of the rights and security of the Armenians of Karabakh should be an integral part of this agreement, as well as the strict implementation of the entire set of tripartite agreements between Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the unblocking of transport communications and the start of the process of delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The Russian Foreign Ministry added, taking into account the above, the Russian side confirms its determination to actively contribute to the efforts of the international community aimed at restoring normal life in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia is ready to organize a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers in Moscow in the near future to discuss ways to implement agreements at the highest level, including the issue of agreeing on a peace treaty with the prospect of organizing a Russian-Azerbaijani-Armenian summit for the signing of that document.