“The United States is deeply concerned about reports of attacks along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including reported strikes against settlements and civilian infrastructure inside Armenia,” Blinken said in a statement.
“As we have long made clear, there can be no military solution to the conflict,” he said. “We urge an end to any military hostilities immediately.”
The statement followed Blinken’s phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. According to the official Armenian readout of the call, the top U.S. diplomat expressed Washington’s readiness to help “stabilize the situation.”
Pashinian was reported to inform Blinken about his administration’s decision to appeal to Russia, the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization and the UN Security Council for help. He also said Yerevan expects “adequate” international reaction to what it sees as Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia.
The hostilities were also discussed by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried in a separate call.
The fighting coincided with the ongoing visit to the South Caucasus by Philip Reeker, the recently appointed U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. Reeker held talks with Pashinian and Mirzoyan late last week. He is due in Baku later this week.