From left Russian President Vladimir Putin with his Turkish and French counterparts Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Emanuel Macron in Turkey in 2018

President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Saturday held separate conversations with his Turkish and French counterparts over the ongoing fighting in Karabakh.

In both instances, Putin told France’s Emanuel Macron and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the need for an immediate ceasefire in Karabakh.

A statement from Erdogan’s office said that the Turkish leader to Putin that Armenia must “withdraw from Azerbaijani lands it is occupying,” adding that “the Armenian leadership must be convinced to sit down at the negotiating table.”

“The situation in Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone was discussed in detail. The Russian President informed his Turkish counterpart about his telephone conversations with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders. The discussions were aimed at the immediate cessation of hostilities and searching ways for a political and diplomatic settlement,” said a statement from the Kremlin about the Putin-Erdogan phone call.

“A mutual readiness to cooperate in order to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict was confirmed,” the Kremlin added.

According to the Kremlin, during their phone conversation, Putin and Macron expressed serious concern over the large-scale clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the region and the involvement of fighters from Syria and Libya in the conflict.
The presidents said they would continue coordinated mediation efforts, including through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group, set up in 1992 to seek a peaceful resolution.

“The presidents exchanged in-depth views concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis and reached an agreement that the hostilities need to be brought to an end so as to ensure return to negotiations on a realistic basis,” the Elysee Palace said. Macron pointed out that the main goal was “to ensure the further stay of the Armenian population in that region and also to put an end to sufferings of the civilian population.”

According to the Kremlin, Putin informed Macron in detail about steps taken by Russia to achieve a ceasefire at the soonest possible time and to resume talks. “They confirmed mutual determination to continue the coordinated mediation efforts of Russia and France, including within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group,” the Kremlin said.