Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is challenging the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to either accept Azerbaijan’s political control or leave the region. However, Armenian leaders argue that this amounts to genocide, and many residents are willing to starve rather than submit.
Aliyev made his stance clear in an interview with Euronews, stating that the people living in Karabakh are citizens of Azerbaijan and must choose to live as an ethnic minority or leave the region.
In an attempt to assert sovereignty, Azerbaijan has blockaded the road connecting Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh since June 15. This blockade has cut off the Armenian population from essential supplies like food, fuel, and medicine. While Azerbaijan claims they are willing to provide food, Armenians fear it could be a trap to force integration, and they have blocked Azerbaijani entry routes.
Arayik Harutyunyan, the president of Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as “Artsakh,” has appealed for international support against what he calls a genocidal policy by Azerbaijan. He has requested a meeting of the U.N. Security Council.
The U.S. State Department, along with European partners and Russia, is working to reopen the Lachin Corridor and end the humanitarian crisis. The growing international concern for the welfare of Nagorno-Karabakh’s residents has prompted a report by former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, stating that there is a reasonable basis to believe a genocide is being committed.
U.S. officials are worried that the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh is only surviving through backyard gardens and home-produced food. With winter approaching, they fear that within two months, the population could face starvation. Armenians are haunted by the memory of the Ottoman genocide of 1915.
The blockade of fuel supplies has already had a devastating impact on Nagorno-Karabakh. Even ambulance vehicles are unable to operate due to the lack of fuel.
The crisis surrounding the Lachin Corridor is the latest development in the long-standing struggle over Nagorno-Karabakh. While Armenia gained control in 1994, skirmishes continued for the following 25 years. Azerbaijan regained power in a 2020 war, brokered by Russia. However, Russia’s ability to maintain peace and stability has been weakened due to the conflict in Ukraine.
The Armenian government has expressed readiness for a broad peace agreement with Azerbaijan, but the diplomatic process has been disrupted by the Lachin crisis. Yerevan seeks international guarantees that a peace deal will be fully implemented and ensure the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Lachin crisis highlights the core issue at hand. While Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan, the Armenian majority in the region desires political self-determination rather than being dictated by a hostile government in Baku. Trust needs to be built by Azerbaijan through ending the Lachin blockade that initiated this crisis.
When visiting Stepanakert, the de facto capital of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2016, a monument called “We Are Our Mountains” symbolized the spirit of resistance that Baku wants to break. The message is clear: the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh will not be moved. It is crucial for all parties involved to recognize the rights and protection of ethnic Armenians in the region.
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