Taking into account the facts of the hostilities [in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict zone] approaching the border of the Republic of Armenia and the encroachments already taken place upon the territory of the Republic of Armenia, the Prime Minister of Armenia had petitioned to the President of the Russian Federation to start immediate consultations, to determine the types and amount of assistance that the Russian Federation can provide to the Republic of Armenia—to ensure its security—on the basis of the allied relations between Armenia and Russia, and Article 2 of the August 29, 1997 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. This is noted in a statement which the Russian Foreign Ministry released Saturday.

"Under the treaty, Russia will provide all the necessary assistance to Yerevan if the clashes move directly to the territory of Armenia.

We once again call on the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to return to substantive talks on a ceasefire, de-escalation of tensions, and a peaceful settlement based on the basic principles reached within the framework of the agreements reached—in Moscow on October 10—by the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Armenia, " the Russian MFA statement also reads.