What Happened: Azerbaijani authorities assumed control of the Lachin Corridor area of the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region per the 2020 cease-fire agreement, and Russian peacekeepers in the area are reportedly moving to the incomplete alternative road between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia News reported Aug. 25. The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to meet in Brussels, Belgium, on Aug. 31 for talks mediated by the European Union.
 
Why It Matters: Transportation between Armenia and the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic through Lachin is expected to continue, but Armenian forces' departure from the area risks further isolating Nagorno-Karabakh by giving Azerbaijan the ability to sever the transportation links between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh should peace negotiations fail. According to Azerbaijani sources, construction of the alternative road connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh should be fully open in the coming days, as Azerbaijan said it would construct another 4.8 kilometers of the alternative highway; this will lead to the faster completion of the stipulations of the 2020 cease-fire and thereby speed the possible conclusion of a peace agreement. Additionally, the newly announced meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan suggests that such talks are progressing steadily.
 
Background: On July 18, the secretary of Armenia's security council said Armenia will withdraw all its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh by September. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has threatened to officially not recognize Armenia's territorial integrity should a peace deal not be signed.