Senior Russian leaders have been working the phone in recent days, maintaining contact with their Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, amid intensive behind the scenes discussions on the future of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.
On Tuesday (2 August), Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke with Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan. A terse note on the Kremlin's website said that "certain practical aspects of the implementation of the trilateral agreements between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh dated November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021 were discussed. It was agreed to continue contacts at various levels."
On the same day it was announced that a phone conversation had taken place between Russia's Minister of Defence, General Sergei Shoigu and Minister of Defence of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, "at the initiative of the Russia side". The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said that during the telephone conversation "the sides discussed regional security, as well as other issues of mutual interest."
In the meantime the Americans have been busy too. On Monday (1 August), US Assistant Secretary of State, Karen Donfried spoke on the phone with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan.