"I am glad that the servicemen of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been released, and I hope that the peace agreement will be concluded soon."

Pope Francis said this during his traditional Sunday sermon.

"I am pleased with the release of a large number of Armenian and Azerbaijani servicemen. I look with great hope at this positive signal for relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I call on the parties and their leaders to conclude a peace agreement as soon as possible," the pontiff noted.
It should be noted that on December 7, the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia issued a joint statement and announced that a number of agreements had been reached. Thus, Azerbaijan frees 32 Armenian soldiers, and Armenia, in turn, frees 2 Azerbaijani soldiers. In addition, Armenia supports the candidacy of Azerbaijan by withdrawing its candidacy to host the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). Azerbaijan supports Armenia's candidacy for membership of the Bureau of the COP from the Eastern European Group