; Whereas, on December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan created a man-made humanitarian crisis by implementing an extended blockade of the Lachin Corridor under the guise of a civilian protest; Whereas the Lachin Corridor serves as a vital lifeline connecting the Republic of Artsakh to the Republic of Armenia and its blockade prevents food, critical medical supplies, and other essentials from reaching 120,000 people; Whereas Azerbaijan has taken dangerous, escalatory steps that have severely worsened the quality of life for the people living in Artsakh, including 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly individuals, and 9,000 people with disabilities, through the sabotage of civilian infrastructure such as a critical natural gas pipeline, power transmission lines, and fixed-line internet; Whereas the Russian peacekeeping forces deployed in the region have not lived up to their role as defined by the November 9, 2020, statement, doing little to disperse Azerbaijanis blocking the Lachin Corridor, deescalate the situation, or prevent other Azerbaijani aggressions against the Armenian population in Artsakh; Whereas the Department of State has warned the Closure of the Lachin Corridor has severe humanitarian implications and sets back the peace process , and publicly called on the Government of Azerbaijan to restore free movement through the corridor ; Whereas the Department of State reported that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on January 23, 2023, to urge an immediate reopening of the Lachin corridor to commercial traffic. He underscored that the risk of a humanitarian crisis in the Lachin corridor undermined prospects for peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. ; Whereas the United States serves as a Co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group, along with France and Russia, and is committed to sustainable, long-term peace in the region