Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently on a two-day state visit to Azerbaijan, his first in six years, meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku. The visit, which began on August 18, aims to strengthen the strategic alliance between Moscow and Baku and is expected to result in the signing of a package of agreements.During their talks, both leaders expressed satisfaction with the current level of bilateral relations. Aliyev stated, ‘We are very pleased with the level of interaction between Azerbaijan and Russia’. Putin noted that while the current trade turnover between Russia and Azerbaijan exceeds $4 billion, it ‘does not yet correspond to the potential of the two countries’.The leaders discussed various areas of cooperation, including energy, transportation, and humanitarian ties. Putin highlighted the presence of over 1,270 enterprises with Russian capital operating in Azerbaijan and expressed satisfaction with the importance given to the Russian language in the country, where it is taught in 300 schools.A significant focus of the talks was on regional issues, particularly the ongoing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Putin expressed Russia’s willingness to assist in the peace process, stating, ‘If we can do something to sign a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, we will be very happy’. He added that he would inform Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the results of the talks upon his return.Both Putin and Aliyev emphasized the importance of this visit for their bilateral relations. Aliyev described it as having ‘exceptional importance for our bilateral relations’, while Putin noted that Aliyev’s visit to Moscow in April 2024 had given ‘a good impetus for the development of our bilateral ties’.
Key points
- Putin is on a two-day state visit to Azerbaijan, his first in six years.
- Both leaders expressed satisfaction with current bilateral relations and discussed expanding cooperation in various sectors.
- Russia offered to assist in facilitating a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
- The visit is expected to result in the signing of a package of agreements strengthening the strategic alliance between Moscow and Baku.
