US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a telephonic conversation Tuesday with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, according to a press release attributable to spokesperson Ned Price of the US Department of State.

“The Secretary condemned the Kremlin’s heinous war crimes in Ukraine and highlighted the continued commitment of the U.S. and its partners to hold the Russian Federation and its enablers accountable for the unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine. The Secretary underscored that now was not the time for further escalation in the region. The Secretary expressed his encouragement for further peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including Pashinyan’s and Aliyev’s planned meeting April 6 with European Council President Michel. He reiterated the United States stood ready to help by engaging bilaterally and with like-minded partners, including through our role as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, to help the countries find a long-term comprehensive peace,” the press release adds.