According to information from Armenia, over 100,000 people have left Nagorno-Karabakh and headed for Armenia. From one day to the next, as a result of Azerbaijan’s military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, they found themselves forced to flee their homes and their homeland. The Armenian Government now faces the immense task of helping these people – providing them with shelter, basic necessities and the support they need.

I am travelling to Armenia to discuss what assistance Germany can provide directly. I would like to talk with refugees locally about their experiences, their needs and their prospects and am keen to find out how we can best help them, in addition to our support via organisations like the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief.

It is also important to me that current events do not destabilise Armenian democracy. The Armenian Government’s reform agenda – including the fight against corruption, support for an independent judiciary and economic development – is crucial for the future of Armenia and of the Armenian people. Germany wants to accompany Armenia on this path.