U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, during an April 20 press briefing, said the U.S. places great importance on ensuring a cessation of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, specifically in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Patel, when asked to comment on the recent trips of U.S. Minsk Group Co-Chair, Senior Advisor on Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono. and Deputy Assistant Secretary Erika Olson to the region, said he couldn’t provide specifics.

Patel said U.S. State Department Secretary Antony Blinken meet with the leaders of these countries several weeks ago on the margins of the Munich Security Conference.

“It’s something that we continue to be deeply engaged in,” Patel said.