Phone call between the President of the European Council Charles Michel and President Ilham Aliyev

On March 25, the President of the European Council Charles Michel, called President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan. During their phone conversation, Charles Michel fondly recalled his meeting with the Azerbaijani President during the Munich Security Conference on February 17, 2023, and mentioned various issues that were discussed in trilateral formats from December 14, 2021, to August 31, 2022.  Charles Michel stated that the European Union will continue its efforts to ensure lasting peace and security in the region. The President of the European Council touched on the issues around Azerbaijan’s Lachin-Khankendi road and expressed his concern about the incidents that took place on the state border of Armenia and Azerbaijan in recent days.

President Ilham Aliyev reiterated Azerbaijan’s support for the Brussels process. Addressing the situation around the Lachin-Khankendi road, the head of state noted that the claims made by Armenia regarding the closure of this road are completely false. He noted that since December 12, 2022, about 5,000 vehicles belonging to Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross, people in need of medical assistance and their companions have passed through this road. The head of state also informed that Armenia continues to transport weapons, ammunition, and personnel across Azerbaijani territories where Russian peacekeeping forces are temporarily stationed.