Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a phone conversation initiated by the Armenian side, discussing the finalization of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Kremlin said Friday.
Pashinyan informed Putin that Armenia and Azerbaijan had completed negotiations on the text of the agreement, with Yerevan ready to sign the deal.
In response, Putin reiterated Russia’s consistent support for normalizing relations between Armenian and Azerbaijan, emphasizing that stability, security, and sustainable socio-economic development in the South Caucasus remain key priorities.
He assured that both Armenia and Azerbaijan could rely on Moscow’s assistance in achieving these goals.
The two leaders also addressed the future development of Russian-Armenian ties, discussing mutually beneficial cooperation.
In addition, Pashinyan confirmed his acceptance of Putin’s invitation to attend the May 9 celebrations in Moscow, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II.
Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh-a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan-and seven adjacent regions.
Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement that opened the door to normalization and demarcation talks.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh after separatist forces in the region surrendered.