It is clear that if we look at the situation realistically, such very old and sensitive conflict situations, such as the one taking place in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, cannot proceed without bumps and problems "on the ground." Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said this in an interview with Izvestia newspaper.

"First of all, thanks to the efforts of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, the heated [Karabakh] conflict was extinguished in time. In the statement of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020, it is about the ceasefire and the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the deployment of [a Russian] peacekeeping contingent [in the conflict zone].

“It is about the fact that through dialogue, it is necessary to move forward in four main directions: unblocking transport and economic links in the region, dialogue with the aim of signing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, border delimitation between the two countries, and establishment of public and parliamentary ties, without which it will be difficult to talk about the normalization of bilateral relations.

“The main elements of the normalization—that is, the ceasefire and the formation of the key directions leading to the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization—all these principles were formulated and started to be implemented exclusively thanks to the mediation mission of Russia and its president; that in itself is already a serious achievement.

“In all these years, Russia has tried to undertake specific practical efforts in four directions, for each of which there is a serious potential and grounds for further progress. It is clear that if we look at the situation realistically, such very old and sensitive conflict situations, such as the one taking place in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, cannot proceed without bumps and problems ‘on the ground,’" said the Russian deputy FM.