Pelosi to travel to Armenia amid new outbreak of violence

Comes amid a ceasefire with Azerbaijan

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Armenia after a clash along its border with Azerbaijan killed 200 people.

A fragile ceasefire between the two countries held for a second day on Friday after the outburst of violence on the border, according to the Associated Press.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that at least 135 troops were killed in the fighting. Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry said it had lost 71.

The two countries are engaged in a conflict over who controls the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is part of Azerbaijan but ethnic Armenian forces have controlled since 1994.

Ms Pelosi confirmed that she would make the visit during a press conference in Berlin at the G7 Speakers’ Summit and said it was because of a standing invitation from Armenia. She noted how President Joe Biden recently declared that Turkey indeed committed genocide against Armenians.

“And this is a major human rights challenge, and we have finally accomplished it,” she said. “And we're proud of President Biden for his role in all of this.”

Ms Pelosi said she did not know that her record was public but a reporter overheard her discussing it.

“So I won't be discussing the details of the visit,” she said. “You'll see that when we get there. But it's – I’m stunned because when Members travel, we don't like to be a target. So we don't like any advance – of coming except, at some point, something of this nature. And so I hope that I have not endangered my colleagues by your question.”

This would not be the first controversial trip Ms Pelosi has taken this year. Last month, Ms Pelosi visited Taiwan, which courted criticism from the People’s Republic of China.