Based on the agreement reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia through Russian mediation, our country completed the construction of a new highway—bypassing the city of Lachin—in a short period and with high quality. This was a clear demonstration of Azerbaijan’s commitment to its obligations, including its approach to the implementation of the Trilateral Statement. Alongside the construction of the new road, on August 26, 2022, the return of the city of Lachin, as well as the villages of Zabukh and Sus, to Azerbaijan created the conditions necessary to ensure the safe and dignified return of tens of thousands of internally displaced persons who had been expelled from these territories.
However, on the night of September 12, 2022, units of the Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale provocation in the direction of the Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin regions along the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border. Utilizing the mountainous terrain and natural ravines under cover of darkness, sabotage groups of the Armenian armed forces attempted to plant mines in areas between the positions of Azerbaijani Army units and on their supply routes. In response, the Azerbaijani side took immediate countermeasures to prevent these actions, resulting in armed clashes. As a result, there were casualties among military personnel and significant damage to military infrastructure. The fighting lasted for nearly eight hours, after which Armenia once again received a deserved and decisive blow.
On October 6, 2022, during the European Political Community Summit in Prague, and later on October 31 of the same year during a trilateral meeting in Sochi, both Azerbaijan and Armenia officially recognized each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty through joint statements. Following these developments, Azerbaijan proposed the signing of a peace agreement with Armenia based on five key principles.