Statement by Europeans of Artsakh following the declaration of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan

As Europeans for Artsakh, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a just and sustainable peace in the South Caucasus. However, we are deeply concerned that the recent peace declaration, issued during the Washington meeting, contains significant gaps that threaten to undermine prospects for a fair and lasting settlement.

True peace cannot be achieved without addressing the rights and security of the forcefully deported Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh / Artsakh. We call upon the European Union and its Member States to take an active and principled role in ensuring that any peace process includes the following essential elements:

• The immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian hostages and prisoners unlawfully held in Baku.
• The collective, safe, and dignified right of return for the Armenians of Artsakh to their ancestral homes, under robust international guarantees.
• The effective protection of Armenian Christian and cultural heritage in Artsakh through international monitoring, including satellite-based mechanisms, to prevent destruction and erasure.

We also express deep concern over the effective dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group format, which for decades provided an internationally recognized framework for conflict resolution. Its absence leaves a dangerous vacuum that must be filled by strong, inclusive, and credible international mechanisms.

In this context, we strongly support the Swiss NK Peace Initiative and urge the European Union and its Member States to back this effort as a pathway toward genuine security, justice, and lasting peace in the region. Furthermore, Europe must make it unequivocally clear that any new act of aggression against Armenia will entail serious and tangible consequences.

Only peace that guarantees fundamental rights, justice, and security for all can be considered real peace.