Putin, Erdogan discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan escalation

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian and Turkish Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, July 27 discussed the escalation of the situation on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin stressed the importance of avoiding any actions that could further escalate tensions, with both of them calling for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

"They expressed readiness to coordinate efforts to stabilize the region. The leaders also noted that there is no alternative to the political and diplomatic settlement of the Karabakh conflict on the basis of the principles of international law in the interests of the peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan," the Kremlin statement added.

The situation on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated on July 12, with Azerbaijan launching several unsuccessful infiltration attempts throughout the next week. The Azerbaijani military also used artillery and combat drones to target civilian homes in several border settlements in Armenia. Five servicemen of the Armenian army were killed, while Azerbaijan reported 12 deaths.

Putin said earlier this month that the conflict between the two countries was a highly sensitive matter for Russia. Turkey, meanwhile, has expressed support for Azerbaijan, claiming that Armenia "will pay" for the escalation.