Statement by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova: "Before arriving in Moscow, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Alen Simonyan claimed that the Russian side allegedly did nothing during the sharp phase of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in autumn 2020.
Let us quote his words: "I was literally falling at the feet of the Russians saying, 'We are your brothers, we are your allies, stop this war.' At that time, Russia did not take any effective measures, while our boys were dying in Nagorno-Karabakh."
We do not know at whose feet he was falling then, or perhaps he continues to do so even now. Meanwhile, it was Russia — and no one else — that put an end to the bloodshed in the region.
On the night of November 9 to 10, 2020, the trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Russia (V.V. Putin), Azerbaijan (I.G. Aliyev), and Armenia (N.V. Pashinyan) declared a complete ceasefire and cessation of all military actions in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. These were not "reflexive steps," but concrete, effective measures preceded by numerous high-level contacts.
As a result, a Russian peacekeeping force was deployed in the region. Our peacekeepers, sometimes at the cost of their own lives, ensured the safety of the civilian population, provided humanitarian aid, and conducted demining activities.
Following a number of high-level trilateral agreements reached in 2021–2022, peace was established in the region. A "roadmap" for the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations was developed, which includes drafting a peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku, unblocking transport links, initiating the border delimitation process, and resolving humanitarian issues.
It should be emphasized that all these agreements remain in force; none of the parties have declared intent to withdraw from them. At present, the peace process between Yerevan and Baku, who now prefer to communicate directly, is advancing — partly based on proposals by Russian mediators.
Simonyan can also be reminded of Prague, or more precisely the summit held under the European Union's auspices on October 6–7, 2022, where N.V. Pashinyan recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of the Republic of Azerbaijan's territory.
To speak of the absence of "effective measures" by Russia, while simultaneously belittling the efforts and sacrifices of Russian peacekeepers, means distorting the truth."
