Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova today defended the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh, saying they “continue to play an important stabilizing role.”

“Their main function is to maintain the ceasefire regime, the exclusion of combat operations. Considering the tense situation in the region, their activities are now even more in demand," Zakharova said.

Commenting on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent statement that Russian peacekeepers should leave Nagorno Karabakh in 2025, Zakharova noted that Ankara is not a signatory to the November 9, 2020 ceasefire. The Russian official added that it was based on this document that Russian peacekeeping personnel were deployed in the Karabakh conflict zone, and it is precisely in this document that the terms of deployment of peacekeepers in the region, as well as the possibility of extending it for the next five-year period, are clearly defined.

"Preservation of peace in the South Caucasus derives from the interests of both Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as regional actors, including, I think, Turkey. In this regard, we emphasize the important interaction with Turkish partners in the framework of the Russian-Turkish joint center in the Aghdam region," added Zakharova.