The leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia will resume peace talks in Brussels this weekend as Western allies step up mediation efforts between the conflict-wracked neighbors after a recent uptick in hostilities, Financial Times reports, citing three officials with knowledge of the preparations for the meeting.
European Council President Charles Michel will host a meeting on Sunday between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the publication informs.
It will be the first time the two leaders have met in person since talks in Munich in February and comes after the two countries’ foreign ministers held extensive discussions in Washington last week.
According to two of the officials, there are also plans for the three leaders to hold another meeting on June 1 with German chancellor Olaf Scholz and French president Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Moldova.
The talks are expected to focus on Azerbaijan’s recent decision to install a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor, the only road access from Armenia to Karabakh. They will also feature discussions on border demarcation, prisoner exchanges and efforts to remove thousands of mines.
![A zoomed in view of the waterfront promenade running along the shores of the Caspian Sea, Baku, Azerbaijan. [Photo via Getty Images]](https://aze.media/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-1178395339-e1723534011484-150x150.webp)
