Pope Francis has called for an end to the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and urged for peaceful solutions for the well-being of the people, as reported by vaticannews.va.

"Yesterday, I learned about the distressing news from Nagorno-Karabakh, where the critical humanitarian situation has worsened due to armed confrontations. I appeal to all parties involved and the international community to silence the weapons and make every effort to seek peaceful solutions for the good of people and the respect of human dignity," said Pope Francis on Wednesday, September 20, during a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

On September 18, 2023, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan announced the beginning of "local anti-terrorism measures" in Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku stated that a condition for establishing peace is the complete withdrawal of Armenian forces from the region and the dissolution of the Karabakh government. Armenian authorities described the events as aggression and stated that there were no Armenian units in Karabakh. Armenian media reported dozens of deaths and injuries, mentioning Azerbaijani forces shelling the capital of the region, Stepanakert. The Armenian Church called on the international community to stand up for Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Russian Ministry of Defense also urged the conflicting parties to immediately cease fire and resume negotiations. The Ministry highlighted the presence of a contingent of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh, responsible for evacuating civilians. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement regarding the situation in Karabakh, calling on the conflicting parties to immediately stop bloodshed and return to the agreements of 2020.

Negotiations on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh have not ceased since the end of the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1994. In 2020, military actions briefly resumed, and in the same year, a trilateral agreement on a ceasefire was signed between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia.