The talks took place in three European cities and while each side acknowledged that the other had taken care to listen, neither side appeared ready to give any ground on matters of fundamental importance to the other.

A day of clashes on the border separating Armenia’s eastern Gegharkunik province and Azerbaijan’s Kalbacar district left three Armenian servicemen and one Azeri dead.

The talks in Brussels were the first meeting of any sort for more than two years within the Russia-NATO Council.

After eight hours of talks in Geneva, neither side appeared to give any ground. But both expressed willingness to keep talking.