Armenia seeks Russian support to end violence in Azerbaijani border

Armenian Defense  Minister Suren Papikyan held a phone conversation with Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoygu, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said.

After Papikyan presented to his Russian counterpart the latest news from the clashes with Azerbaijan that erupted on Monday night, the two ministers reached an agreement to take necessary steps to stabilize the situation.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier called Russian President Vladimir Putin and presented him with details of Azerbaijan’s “aggressive and provocative” actions, the Armenian government said in a statement. 

“Nikol Pashinyan found the Azerbaijani side’s actions unacceptable and stressed the importance of adequate reaction from the international community,” said the statement. “The interlocutors agreed to be in operational contact.”

Putin and Pashinyan met last week on the sidelines of an economic forum held in the Russian city of Vladivostok after the two leaders held four phone calls last month, amid an upsurge of violence in Karabakh.

Political commentator Ian Bremmer said the timing of the escalation was not a coincidence as Russia, Armenia’s closest security partner, had “more than its share of troubles presently.” referring to the recent series of Russia’s defeats in the Ukraine War.