Stoltenberg called on Yerevan and Baku to make peace

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is in Yerevan, held a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on March 19. Regarding stability in the South Caucasus, Stoltenberg called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach an agreement that will pave the way for normalization of relations and lasting peace. “This is important for Euro-Atlantic security, as the situation is becoming more dangerous,” he stressed and noted that “NATO supports Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its peaceful aspirations,” the NATO press release on the content of the meeting.

The Secretary General also warned that “if Putin succeeds in Ukraine, there is a real risk that his aggression will not stop there, and other authoritarian players will gain courage,” he said. Soltenberg called on all NATO partners to “do everything possible to ensure that Putin does not win an aggressive war.” The NATO Secretary General also stressed Armenia’s commitment to ensuring democratic control over its armed forces and commitment to fighting corruption, strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law.