VIDEO: 'The Status of Nagorno-Karabakh Was Determined by Armenia Itself' - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, the blockade of the Lachin corridor, and other matters during a panel discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum.

“I do not see any change or turnaround; we understand what is happening. We have proposed our options for resolution. After the conflict with Azerbaijan, Armenia has controlled seven regions. We proposed to agree with Azerbaijan so that Kelbajar and Lachin remain under Armenia's de facto jurisdiction, but the Armenian leadership did not agree to this, even though we have been trying to persuade them for a decade. To our question, they replied: 'we will fight.' In the end, everything led to the current situation. The issue is not only the consequences but also the fact that the Armenian leadership has recognized Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Karabakh. We know this. Now Aliyev tells me that Armenia has recognized that the question of Nagorno-Karabakh's status is no longer an issue, that it is resolved, and the Armenian leadership has publicly stated this.

Before 1991, considering the territory as Azerbaijan's land, which also includes Karabakh, was not our decision but Armenia's. If Armenia recognizes it, what can we do? Of course, there are humanitarian issues and questions regarding our peacekeepers' mandate, issues regarding ethnic cleansing. I hope that the Azerbaijani leadership, as they themselves say, are not interested in ethnic cleansings but are interested in the process going smoothly.

If Armenia has recognized that Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan, then that is it. That part is the key to the problem; the status of Karabakh was determined by Armenia itself. In recent days, Pashinyan has sent me a letter, and we are in touch with him. There is no problem with Armenia and Prime Minister Pashinyan. We are in constant contact,” Putin stated.

For more details, watch the video.