Putin, Macron hold phone call ahead of Monday's Karabakh talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday discussed in a phone conversation the trilateral meeting of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia scheduled for Monday, January 11 in Moscow. The French president supported Russia’s efforts in facilitating settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh, TASS reported, citing the Kremlin press service.
"Within the framework of coordinating actions of co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron discussing some issues related to the upcoming trilateral meeting of leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia on January 11 in Moscow. Taking into account the consistent implementation of the joint November 9, 2020 statement and the stabilization of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, it was noted that above all during this meeting it is planned to consider further steps on facilitating peaceful life in the region," the statement said.
"The French President expressed support for Russia’s efforts in facilitating settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh. The importance of immediate humanitarian aid to residents affected by military clashes was emphasized, including along the lines of relevant international organizations," the press service noted.
Putin and Macron wished each other happy holidays and agreed to continue contacts at various levels.
The trilateral talks of Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan will be held on Monday, January 11, in Moscow at the initiative of the Russian head of state. The sides plan to review the implementation of the November 9, 2020 statement of the three leaders on Nagorno-Karabakh and discuss steps to resolve the regional issues.