Aid trucks sent by the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society (AzRCS) for Armenians living in Karabakh were stranded at the checkpoint of the Russian peacekeeping forces on the Aghdam-Khankendi road for the fifth day on Friday.

Russian forces, which were deployed in the area after a Moscow-brokered truce ended the Second Karabakh War in 2020, are yet to allow two trucks laden with 40 tons of flour – meant for the Armenians of the region – that arrived from Baku on Aug. 28.

"Armenia and the so-called regime established and supported by this country in Karabakh are preventing the opening of the Aghdam-Khankendi road," Hikmet Hajiyev, an Azerbaijani presidential aide, told reporters during a visit to the scene on Thursday, accompanied by about 60 people, including diplomatic corps and international journalists.

Baku considers the rejection of its proposed alternative as "racism," Hajiyev argued. "Azerbaijan intends to launch the reintegration process by opening all roads. We are prepared to provide the rights and security of all Armenians in Karabakh but we see Armenians have turned the road issue into a tool of political manipulation and speculation."

Pointing out that Armenia deployed vehicles to the border checkpoint in Lachin "for show and populism" without notifying Azerbaijan beforehand, Haciyev said, "Yesterday, some pro-Armenian, corrupt European politicians came to the Azerbaijani border and enacted a theatrical performance. Such steps make no sense."

He was referring to several French politicians, including Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who joined a 10-lorry humanitarian convoy financed by French local councils, which was stopped from entering the enclave earlier this week.

Hajiyev insisted, "Azerbaijan will never allow a gray zone to exist on its territory and will not tolerate the separatist regime in any case."

Reminding that the AzRCS has brought flour to Armenians in the region, Hajiyev said, "But they do not accept this still, which is an indicator of their racist policy. This situation means they say 'no' to reintegration. The responsibility for avoiding the burden lies entirely with the so-called regime and the Armenian administration."

The situation is being twisted by some Western media outlets, Hajiyev also claimed. "The existence of any illegal territory on Azerbaijani territory, any land outside the control of the central government is unacceptable."

‘Full support’

Türkiye’s ambassador to Baku, Cahit Bağcı, who accompanied Hajiyev and other diplomats on the visit, reiterated support for Azerbaijan, arguing that the recent events on Baku’s territory should be handled within the framework of territorial integrity and sovereignty rights.

Stressing Türkiye’s "full support" to ongoing peace talks between the rival nations, Bağcı said peace has reigned since the second Karabakh War three years ago.

However, he added, efforts to create a "humanitarian crisis" during this period would not contribute to peace.

"If the issue is food, there is a solution Azerbaijan is offering within its borders. If there is a need, the Azerbaijan Red Crescent took a humanitarian step and brought flour with trucks," he said.

Since April, Azerbaijan has been restricting the Lachin-Khankendi road on the grounds that border guards were fired upon from Armenia and smuggled goods were transported by International Organization of the Red Cross vehicles.

While heavy vehicles are not allowed to pass on the route, the road is open for civilians.

Trucks sent by Armenia, which claimed that the Armenian population in Karabakh "faced a humanitarian crisis," on the grounds that the road was closed, have been kept at the border for about a month now.

Stating that it will not allow shipments to lands under its control, the Baku administration proposes the Agdam-Khankendi route for the Armenian population in Karabakh.