During an interview with Armenian Public Television, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan was asked why he didn’t address the public during the war and present the situation and tell the public that things could get worse in case the war continues, Pashinyan said it would be more painful for the public than telling them that three territories must be returned.

“In other words, the decision was taken at the moment when it was clear that there was no point in fighting anymore. Our army truly fought until the end,” Pashinyan said, adding that he had been told that the war needed to be stopped immediately.

Asked if it was on that day when he was told that there was no point in fighting, Pashinyan said it was when Shushi fell. “In all the possible scenarios to stop the war before the fall of Shushi, Shushi had to be handed over without a battle. I say this, knowing about the conspiracy...For instance, I said I couldn’t hand over Shushi. We couldn’t do that because Shushi is of special significance.”

Pashinyan noted that in the texts of the negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue there are several uncertainties that need to be interpreted this or that way, but the one thing that was certain was the fact that the seven regions had to be returned.