Efforts to resolve the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] continued last week; this s statement came from Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova during a weekly briefing on Thursday.

According to her, the Russian President had telephone conversations with the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia. "They discussed the practical aspects of the agreements set out in the November 9 trilateral statement on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This topic was in the center of attention during the Russian Foreign Minister’s telephone conversations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, on November 15, and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, on November 13.

The leadership of our country is in constant contact with the leaderships of Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is important to ensure that the agreements are fulfilled.

We note with satisfaction that the mediation efforts of the Russian Federation have led to achieving a lasting ceasefire, which was confirmed in accordance with the statement made by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on November 10. These efforts enabled to also take important steps towards a return to a peaceful life," Zakharova added.

On November 9, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement on a complete cessation of hostilities in and around Artsakh. Accordingly, Russian peacekeepers will be deployed in the region to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities. But this statement also stipulates the handover of part of Artsakh lands to Azerbaijan.