Putin, Macron Call for Ceasefire in Azerbaijan-Armenian Conflict Zone

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) give a joint press conference at the Chateau de Versailles before the opening of an exhibition marking 300 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries in Versailles, France on May 29, 2017. (REUTERS/Stephane De Sakutin/Pool)

MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin and France’s Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces around the Nagorno-Karabakh region following a call, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The parties discussed future steps the Minsk OSCE group could take to de-escalate the conflict in the region and called for the conflict to be resolved by diplomatic means, the statement said.

A French Presidency source said the two presidents shared the same concern regarding Turkey’s sending of Syrian fighters in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Syrian and Libyan fighters from illegal armed groups were being sent to the Nagorno-Karabakh region.