On December 20, the United Nations (UN) Security Council held an emergency meeting and discussed the situation in the Lachin Corridor - the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. The discussion was held at the request of Armenia, given the blockade of the Lachin Corridor since December 12.

Several diplomats delivered speeches regarding the situation. Most of them expressed concern over the “potential severe humanitarian implications." They called for immediate unblocking of the corridor, calling on both sides to exercise restraint and immediately cease activities that undermine the peace process.

“The Lachin corridor is the only means by which daily necessities can be delivered to the region. The closure of the corridor for over a week raises the potential for severe humanitarian consequences – especially in the winter. We also note with concern the civilians who have been stranded by the closure and urge that their unimpeded return is urgently prioritized,” UK Ambassador James Kariuki said.

Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Anna Evstigneeva,  expressed concern over the blocking of the Corridor. Noting that the corridor ensures a link between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, she said that it is under the control of a Russian peacekeeping contingent, which remains a guarantor of stability in the region and is carrying out its objectives effectively. She recalled that both sides undertook commitments that must be strictly observed – including the obligation to ensure civilians do not face difficulties – and said that her country expects the entire transport corridor to be restored "in the very near future."

Artak Beglaryan, de-facto Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister’s advisor, told the reporters on Wednesday that the statement delivered by the Russian representative at the UN Security Council meeting did not unequivocally reflect the actual situation around Lachin Corridor.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Wednesday: “The UN Security Council emergency meeting clearly indicates the strong and unequivocal international consensus on the immediate re-opening of the Lachin Corridor, the sole road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia."

Earlier on Tuesday, Armenian Security Council chief Armen Grigoryan addressed the issue in his Parliament speech, pinpointing Russian peacekeepers' responsibility for security along the Lachin corridor. Grigoryan claimed that the government is working towards resolving the issue and urged the parliamentary opposition to make efforts so that Russia “fulfills its commitments and ensures uninterrupted and safe movement along the Lachin corridor.”