Presence of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh to be discussed with Azerbaijan: Peskov

Moscow will discuss whether Russian peacekeepers will stay in Nagorno-Karabakh with Baku, but will continue interacting with Yerevan as well, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, TASS reports. 

"Right now, they [Russian peacekeepers] are indeed on Azerbaijani territory, de facto and de jure. Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan has recognized that," the Kremlin official said. "As for them continuing to stay there and all other related questions, this, of course, will be discussed with the Azerbaijani side," Peskov noted. He added that "certainly, Russia will also keep interacting with our Armenian friends."

He specified that the issue of potentially redeploying the Russian peacekeeping contingent had not been discussed in a recent phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pashinyan.

On October 10, Pashinyan said that should the Russian peacekeeping contingent leave Nagorno-Karabakh, it must return to Russia.