The idea of sending UN peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh is hardly realistic; the tasks of restoring peace and security in the region are effectively fulfilled by the Russian peacekeeping force. Pyotr Ilyichev, Director of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian foreign ministry, told this to RIA Novosti.

He noted that from among the international and foreign organizations, only the International Committee of the Red Cross is working in Karabakh, whereas the humanitarian agencies of the UN have not received the permission of the Azerbaijanis and Armenians to enter there—even for carrying out a primary mission of needs assessment.

According to Ilyichev, "difficulties arise from the political impossibility of maintaining an equidistant position with the parties, including modes of arrival in and departure from the region, accountability, oversight, and the legal basis for building humanitarian activities."

"In the absence of progress towards the establishment of even international humanitarian assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh, the practical implementation of the idea of sending an international peacekeeping force, which would also require the permission of the UN Security Council, is hardly realistic," concluded Ilyichev.