May 19, 2023 - 11:55 AMT
U.S. welcomes upcoming Armenia-Azerbaijan talks in Russia

The United States welcomes reports that Armenia and Azerbaijan are going hold meetings in Russia, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State Vedant Patel told a briefing on Thursday, May 18.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian announced earlier on Thursday that he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will meet in Moscow on May 25 for fresh talks that will be hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We continue to provide full support and engagement of the United States as these two countries work to secure a durable and dignified peace. We welcome the reports that the parties are going to continue to engage in these discussions, and we reiterate that – our conviction that peace is within reach and that direct dialogue is key to resolving these issues,” Patel said.

“Our view is that direct talks between the parties are of utmost importance, and we’re glad to see them happen and take place. Whether they are taking place in Arlington, in Brussels, in Moscow, our support with this effort will continue to endure.”

Asked whether there are any “back channels” with Moscow to discuss the matter, Patel declined to getting into specific diplomatic engagements

“One of the many reasons why we continue to maintain bilateral relations with Russia, even in a time of immense tension, is because there are, of course, issues between our two countries that we need to ensure are talked about responsibly, appropriately. And so I will just leave it at that.,” he added.