'Nothing to Indicate They're Contributing To Peace':  U.S. Reacts to Reports About Russian Troops Leaving Karabakh

The United States on Wednesday reacted to reports about Russian forces being withdrawn from Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region, where they had been stationed as "peacekeepers" since the end of a war in 2020, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"Frankly, we’ve not seen anything to indicate that Russia’s military was contributing to a more peaceful and stable South Caucasus region, and the events in Nagorno-Karabakh over the course of this past fall are pretty indicative of that point, and it’s another highlight or example of how Russia is not a trustworthy ally or partner," State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told a daily briefing when responding to TURAN's questions.

"As you know, we were not party to the negotiated trilateral arrangement that ended the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 and established Russian troops in that region," he went on to add.

"But beyond that, we strongly support efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach a durable and dignified peace, and we stand ready to continue to help facilitate this process," Patel emphasized.

Nearly 2,000 Russian troops were reported to be leaving the Karabakh region soon, as Moscow reportedly redirects its resources to the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday confirmed reports of the withdrawal but did not offer further details. Hikmet Hajiyev, Azerbaijan’s presidential aid, also confirmed the withdrawal, saying it was agreed to by both countries.