YEREVAN—Russian President Vladimir Putin has concluded a two day visit to Baku, where Putin reasserted Russia’s role in facilitating the resolution of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
Speaking at a press conference on August 19, Putin emphasized Russia’s readiness to assist in the demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the unblocking of transport routes and the enhancement of humanitarian contacts. Putin highlighted that a strong and stable peace in the South Caucasus aligns with the interests of all countries and peoples in the region.
During the visit, Russia and Azerbaijan signed three agreements and three memorandums, further solidifying their bilateral relations. Putin expressed satisfaction with the agreements and extended an invitation to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to attend the CIS Heads of State Council session in Moscow this October and participate in the outreach format meeting at the BRICS summit in Kazan.
Following Putin’s visit, Azerbaijan has officially submitted an application to join BRICS, according to a statement by Aykhan Hajizade, the press secretary of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry. This move follows the adoption of the “Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China” on July 3 during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana.
According to analyst Karen Bekaryan, the timing and location of the visit were carefully chosen to serve multiple purposes. Bekaryan argued that Putin’s visit was intended to demonstrate that despite the ongoing crisis in Kursk and the volatile situation in Ukraine, Russia remains capable of projecting power and influence beyond its borders. “The visit underscores that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict does not impede Russia’s efforts to strengthen its position in the South Caucasus,” Bekaryan said.
Bekaryan suggested that the visit signals a broader strategy to reinforce Russia’s regional influence. “The timing and substance of the visit indicate a multi-faceted approach rather than a singular objective,” he said.
Bekaryan criticized the Armenian government for diminishing the country’s strategic importance. He argued that the government’s shifting foreign policy orientation away from Russia has reduced Armenia’s influence and relevance on the regional stage. “The real issue is not merely a change in foreign policy direction, but rather the reduction of Armenia’s strategic significance under the current administration,” Bekaryan said. He emphasized the need for foreign powers and neighbors to recognize Armenia’s historical strategic importance, irrespective of who is in leadership.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was also in Baku, accused Yerevan of “sabotaging” previous agreements aimed at reopening transportation routes in Armenia’s Syunik province. The Armenian Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized Lavrov’s comments as “false” and “regrettable,” casting doubts on Russia’s constructive engagement in facilitating the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In an August 20 message, the Armenian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the Armenian government’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, designed to reopen regional connections, is ready for implementation at any time. It urged Moscow to avoid making such “biased statements.”
During an interview with Russia’s Channel One on August 19, Lavrov advocated for the swift conclusion of a peace treaty and the unblocking of regional communications. He attributed delays to what he called the Armenian leadership’s sabotage of the November 9, 2020 trilateral ceasefire agreement signed by PM Nikol Pashinyan, expressing confusion over Yerevan’s position. Lavrov underscored the importance of adhering to the spirit and terms of agreements reached in 2020-2022 by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, which address various aspects of the conflict and outline steps toward its resolution.
Lavrov’s statements have intensified scrutiny over the fulfillment of these commitments, particularly the security and transport arrangements concerning the “Zangezur corridor,” which remains a contentious issue. Earlier this month Elchin Amirbekov, Azerbaijan’s special envoy, announced that the regional communication duties article was removed from the peace treaty draft to avoid complicating negotiations with Armenia.
These comments have sparked renewed debate over the implementation of the November 9, 2020, trilateral ceasefire agreement, which in part called for the unblocking of economic and transport links in the region. Some opposition figures have criticized the Armenian government for not declaring the statement void, which would require revisiting the status of territories including Karvachar, Kashatagh and Akna surrendered in 2020.
Meanwhile, as Azerbaijan prepares to host the upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP29) conference, Armenian and Artsakh politicians have called on the global community to reconsider its participation.
In a strongly worded statement, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a member of Armenia’s National Assembly and representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, called for a complete boycott of the conference in Baku. In a Facebook post on August 20, Saghatelyan warned that Armenia’s participation in COP29 would legitimize what he described as an “Azerbaijani show,” designed to distract the international community from serious allegations of war crimes and ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Artsakh.
Saghatelyan argued that the event would be used to bolster Azerbaijan’s international reputation and mask its ongoing human rights abuses. The conference, scheduled to take place in November, will attract thousands of international delegates, including political leaders, human rights activists, environmental organizations and media representatives.
“Armenia’s absence is crucial to preventing the Azerbaijani government from furthering its narrative of regional peace while disregarding the atrocities committed against the Armenian people,” Saghatelyan said.
The call for a boycott comes amid increasing international pressure on Azerbaijan. Saghatelyan urged the European Union to demand the immediate release of the political and military leaders of Artsakh currently detained in Baku. He called for the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from what he described as occupied territories within Armenia’s sovereign borders.
Adding to the controversy surrounding COP29, EU Observer Editor-in-Chief Elena Sànchez Nicolàs has raised concerns about Azerbaijan hosting the event, given its reliance on fossil fuels and history of human rights abuses. In an op-ed published on August 19, she noted the irony in Azerbaijan branding COP29 as a “COP for Peace” while continuing to engage in aggressive actions against Armenia. Sànchez Nicolàs highlighted the growing calls from activists and human rights defenders for reforms in how host countries for such events are selected, urging that they adhere to climate and human rights standards.
As the conference approaches, former U.N. Global Compact vice-chair Paul Polman and other international figures have highlighted that Armenia-Azerbaijan peace is being negotiated under coercive conditions. They argue that Armenia cannot engage in peace talks while its representatives are imprisoned, undermining the potential for genuine dialogue.
The National Assembly of Artsakh has also voiced strong objections to Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29. In a joint statement released on August 21, the National Assembly highlighted Azerbaijan’s efforts to mislead the international community and divert attention from its ongoing human rights abuses. It condemned Azerbaijan’s actions in Artsakh and its attempts to alter the region’s cultural heritage, calling on the international community to expose Azerbaijan’s intentions and reconsider participating in the conference.
Hoory Minoyan
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Let Putin and Aliyev be friends. Armenians need only be friends with West.
Nikol Pashinyan is national hero. He sacrificed Karabagh and eventually Zangezeur to be friends with West and brotherly Turks.
I make so much money moving from beautiful Istanbul to Erivan and make so much money to have new Mercedes and wife in Toronto has new BMW
Armenia must give up all rights, and get rid of Russian kartoshkas to be with West and brotherly Turks.
It really is asthonishing that comments from a traitor like Sevan Peter B are allowed.
Istanbul Armenians like Sevan Peter B, differ from the rest of Armenians. Living in Turkey, they collectively suffer from Stockholm Syndrome, by having developed positive feelings toward their masters the Turks, who discriminate, humiliate, threaten and abuse them. Keeping a very low profile and not challenging the Turks, is an understandable survival mechanism for the steadily decreasing Istanbul Armenians, in order to keep out of trouble and physical harm.
When the brave local Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, questioned and criticized this mindset of the Istanbul Armenians, dared to criticize the systematic discrimination against Armenians, the human rights abuses in Turkey in general, and dared to mention the ultimate taboo in Turkey – the Armenian Genocide, he knew his fate was sealed and his days were numbered, and he paid the ultimate price when a Turkish nationalist assassinated him in a busy Istanbul street in 2007. His assassin and all other criminal masterminds who ordered his murder, have all been released. Worse, the assassin and the masterminds have been praised as patriots and heroes, not only in the social media, but in the Turkish press.
The Armenian community of Istanbul, which was already steadily decreasing for many decades due to low birth rates, 3x higher death rates and emigration rates, decreased from 70,000 before Hrant Dink’s assassination in 2007, to less than 40,000 today. The community is collapsing and heading to extinction. The Armenians who still live in Istanbul, need to leave that city, not only to escape the discrimination and abuse by the Turks, also because it is expected to be destroyed by the 7-8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in this decade or the next decade.
The sycophancy of Sevan Peter B, is reminiscent of a house slave who constantly flatters his abusive master, in the hope that he won’t abuse him and even get rewarded. There are many Istanbul Armenians like Sevan Peter B, not only in Istanbul, but even in the Diaspora, who resort to this nauseating sycophancy. There are also Istanbul Armenians who have some pride and dignity, and opt to stay quiet, which is understandable considering what happend to Hrant Dink.
Armenians deserve Sevan and the loss of their homeland
Armenians never learn from their mistakes
Armenians are only good at sipping for Europe, when all Europeans have ever done is spit in Armenian faces.
No one respects a simp. And Armenians are a nation of simps.
Armenia’s biggest icon is a whole named Kardashian.
Dear Sevan, these juveniles don’t understand your sarcasm. If they had even a 12 year old’s intelligence Armenia wouldn’t be where it is today.
Also all the foreign agents are jumping in and capitalising on their stupidity in the comments too so you may want to change your tactics a bit.
Putin sold out, and backstabbed Armenia, and Artsakh Armenians too. He failed to honor alliance agreements with Armenia, and he failed to honor the 2020 security agreements for Artsakh Armenians. Putin is in Baku, Azerbaijan, to make more oil deals for laundering Russian oil to Europe. He uses Azerbaijan and Turkey to get around oil sanctions.
By their friends one knows them.
Russia isn’t sentimental towards Armenia so in turn Armenia needs to stop being beholden to Russia who needs to learn to look after it’s friends better if it is to keep them.
Note despite the collapse of most of the 2020 tripartite provisions Russia via it’s half Armenian Sergei lavarov whom many Armenians mistakenly thought would favour Armenia on that account of being kith and kin but unless continuing their delusion know better now. It’s also worth noting that the western powers oppose an Azeri extraterritorial corridor through Armenia. In turn given the collapse of the relationship between Russia and the USA and western countries, Azerbaijan daliances with Russia and to a lesser extent Iran will make it harder for Israel who has vouched for Azerbaijan to continue as before along with the falling out between Turkey and Israel will definitely affect the nature of the Azeri – Israeli relationship.
As Armenia is now a signatory to the ICC which has an arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin and thus Armenia would be expected to arrest or the diplomatic option of banning Putin from visiting his ability in addition to Russia worsening entanglement in Ukraine to serve as mediator is a far cry from 2020.
Half truth Charlie, cunningly advocating Armenia embrace Turkey
Half-truth Chharlie, using big words to say the exact same thing Srvan Peter B said
Half-truth Charlie, what’s the difference between what you and Sevan Peter B said??
Yakub, Sevan is either sarcastic or delusional. Where have a said Armenia must be friends with Turkey apart from it ultimately being in Armenia interest to have some form of concordance this festering destructive and has allowed Russia to play Armenia like a fiddle besides as Russia gets on reasonably well with Turkey then if Armenia should be like Russia then it doesn’t matter?
@Laurence Kueffer
What, exactly, was Russia supposed to do when :
1) Pashinyan declared that Artsakh was part of Azerbaijan.
2) Pashinyan declared that the Armenian Army would not fight for Artsakh.
When Armenians refuse to die for Artsakh, why on Earth should any Russian?
Russia was supposed to safeguard the Armenian population of what remained of Arktash in 2020 and allow safe passage for five years subject to the possibility of renewal.
As we all know Russia failed it’s obligations and hence expectations.
Russia has always considered Arktash to be part of Azerbaijan since 1922 , Russians are dying left right and centre in Ukraine and now in the second battle of Kursk in Russia so why should they bother with Arktash?
Half truth Charlie, father of the golem Sevan Peter B
Why did you ignore Robert Whigs questions?
Half truth Charlie, is your line of questioning to get Armenians to embrace “brotherly turks” in the same vein as Sevan Peter B?
Yakub i don’t have any children
Russia had clearly failed to uphold it’s obligations and hence expectations of the 2020 agreement. The 2020 agreement meant the end of Armenian military support for Arktash. Once a cause puts it’s security in the hands of others rather than itself it’s doomed. Armenia was simply acknowledging the reality that Arktash was part of Azerbaijan and that it’s efforts to unite had ended in failure. Russia had wanted Armenia to abandon Arktash as it’s perceived support for Armenia was a major impedement to better relationships for Russia with Azerbaijan whom it judged to be more important to Russia.
Yakub – are you 12? The grade-school taunting is pathetic.