Putin To Host Peace Talks Between Azerbaijan, Armenia

Russia on Friday confirmed President Vladimir Putin will host talks in Sochi on Monday between the leaders of arch-foes Armenia and Azerbaijan.

It said in a statement that said; “On the initiative of the Russian side, tripartite negotiations between Putin, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will be held on October 31 in Sochi.”

Russia said the trio planned to discuss the implementation of agreements reached in talks under Russia’s mediation last year, as well as “further steps to strengthen stability and security” in the Caucasus. Russia added that Putin will also hold talks with each of the leaders alone.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in three decades. Deadly clashes in September along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border have further raised fears of a fresh all-out conflict.

A six-week war in the autumn of 2020 claimed the lives of more than 6,500 troops from both sides. It ended with a Russian-brokered deal.