YEREVAN—Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held a phone conversation to review the outcomes of Putin’s recent state visit to Baku and to discuss the ongoing peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, reported the Kremlin.
During the call, Putin confirmed Moscow’s readiness to assist both Baku and Yerevan in developing mutually acceptable solutions to outstanding issues. The Russian leader’s visit to Azerbaijan on August 18-19 included discussions with Aliyev addressing the preparation of the peace treaty, border delimitation and the reopening of transport corridors in both narrow and extended formats, resulting in the signing of several key agreements.
On August 22, Putin also spoke with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to discuss the normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan, following his meeting with Aliyev.
Since 2022, Armenia and Azerbaijan, with mediation from Russia, the U.S. and the EU, have been negotiating the treaty. In May 2023, Pashinyan stated that Yerevan is prepared to recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over the Soviet-era borders, including Artsakh.
Azerbaijan continues to advocate for the construction of the “Zangezur” transport corridor, which would connect its main territory with Nakhichevan through Armenia’s Syunik region.
The phone conversation between Putin and Aliyev comes against the backdrop of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov’s one-day visit to Ankara on August 27, where he met with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.
The primary focus of the meeting was regional and international developments. Fidan and Bayramov discussed several key issues, including the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process and the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara.
During a press conference, Bayramov once again alleged that Armenia’s constitutional claims to Azerbaijani and Turkish territories are the primary obstacle to finalizing a peace agreement.
Bayramov also raised concerns regarding Armenia’s military buildup, suggesting it may be influenced by third countries. Despite these issues, he reported positive momentum in the negotiation process, noting that a significant portion of the agreement’s draft has been aligned.
Meanwhile, recent negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have included the temporary removal of contentious issues from the peace agreement, such as the opening of communication channels.
Bayramov’s visit comes shortly after President Putin’s visit to Baku, during which he offered Moscow’s assistance in normalizing relations between Baku and Yerevan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously stated that Armenia was obstructing agreements on communication routes through Syunik, a claim that Armenia rejected as undermining Russia’s role in the peace process.
Baku, for its part, remains firm in its position that a peace treaty with Armenia cannot be finalized until Yerevan agrees to amend its constitution to address territorial claims. Azerbaijani officials have also emphasized that an improvement in Armenia’s relations with Turkey are contingent upon Armenia resolving its issues with Azerbaijan.
While the Armenian government has neither accepted nor denied Azerbaijan’s invitation to COP29 and remains largely silent on the progress of the peace treaty, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the “Tavush for the Homeland” movement, recently outlined a detailed vision for Armenia at a gathering at Saint Anna Church.
The archbishop called for a fundamental shift in Armenia’s foreign policy, urging the country to move away from adversarial approaches and build reliable, mutually beneficial international partnerships. He stressed the need for Armenia to avoid becoming a site of geopolitical conflict and to concentrate on strengthening ties with significant global players.
Highlighting pressing security concerns, Archbishop Galstanyan stressed the need for significant reforms in Armenia’s defense sector, including bolstering internal security, modernizing the military and improving relations with allies. He pointed to ongoing territorial disputes with Azerbaijan, including demands related to the “Zangezur Corridor,” as critical challenges.
In discussing the Armenian Armed Forces, the archbishop underlined the importance of modernization, proper financing and combating corruption. He also highlighted the need to honor and support servicemen and their families, ensuring they are central to state priorities.
Broader security concerns were also addressed, with Archbishop Galstanyan advocating for a focus on citizen safety, crime prevention and issues related to food and social security. He reiterated the necessity of including Artsakh in peace negotiations, emphasizing the need to restore Artsakh Armenians’ rights and ensure their safe return with adequate security guarantees.
Criticizing the current government’s approach to peace with Azerbaijan, Galstanyan called for a settlement grounded in justice and international law, rather than achieving “peace at any cost.” He underscored that humanitarian issues, such as the return of prisoners and detainees, must be addressed in any peace agreement.
The archbishop also proposed a reformulation of Armenia-Diaspora relations to enhance global Armenian unity, advocating for mutual interests and collaboration. He emphasized the need for social justice, urging strict adherence to legal equality and addressing disparities in access to education and healthcare.
Galstanyan stressed that state policies should prioritize human rights and national values, ensuring that all Armenians lead dignified and prosperous lives. He called for genuine democracy and transparency in law enforcement and eradicating political repression and selective justice.
Furthermore, the archbishop advocated for reforms in state management to improve efficiency and accessibility, alongside a genuine fight against corruption. He emphasized the importance of robust economic development, supporting local businesses and creating equal opportunities.
Quality education is a key factor for Armenia’s development, and Galstanyan called for state attention to educational standards and accessibility. He also urged for greater involvement of youth in leadership roles and the creation of favorable conditions for their development.
In terms of healthcare, the archbishop called for accessible, high-quality services for all citizens and emphasized the need for effective use of free medical care opportunities and improvements in the health insurance system. He also advocated for enhanced protection and equal opportunities for vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities.
Finally, Archbishop Galstanyan underscored the need for modernization of regional administration and local self-government to address disparities between urban and rural areas. He highlighted the crucial role of farmers in Armenia’s economy and expressed concern over rising emigration and demographic shifts, calling for state policies to address these challenges and encourage a stable demographic future.
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 appears that a truck driver, possibly of Tatar-Turk origin, is transporting illegal substances from Istanbul to the “Erivan” and then laundering the illegal money in Canada. As a Canadian, I intend to report this to the RCMP for further investigation using your IP address.
Dictator Putin’s recent visit to Azerbaijan has raised concerns about his intentions regarding oil and gas transfers from Ukraine to the Azerbaijani front. This development is anticipated to escalate political tensions in the South Caucasus region, with potential rivalries involving the US-led West, Iran, and Turkey.
Internal issues in Georgia could potentially impact Armenian national security, as Armenia has limited flexibility to respond. Armenia needs to be prepared for any changes that may affect its national security due to internal and external threats. The FSB in Armenia is highly active and works against the Nikol Pashinyan government and its leadership.
Really? What are the internal issues in Georgia?
reader
There is political instability in Georgia, due to democratic backsliding by the ruling populist Georgian Dream party and intermittent protests by the opposition against it – also against the potential rapprochement by the Georgian government with Putin’s Russia, which have been broken because of the Russian-Georgian War in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and because of Russia’s recognition of them as independent states.
Georgia indeed matters to Armenia, because it provides a land access for landlocked Armenia to the open seas and to the rest of the world. Since Armenia is surrounded by two hostile and genocidal Turkic archenemies, maintaining good relations with Georgia and Iran, and that both countries remain friendly towards Armenia and also internally stable, is very important for Armenia. In this sh##ty neigborhood, foreign policy is not a luxury, but a constant struggle of survival for Armenia.
This so-called “peace treaty” would be a latter-day Munich Agreement imposed by Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey on Armenia. Worse, the traitor Pashinyan is willing to acquiesce to the mutilation and emasculation of Armenia, by signing such a treaty.
Finally more Armenians realise that Russia is happy to screw Armenia for the sake of more important relationships with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Georgia is an issue as if Russia consolidates it’s grip on it Armenia pathway to the west will be closed.
And your alternative is what, Charlie?
Nobody from the West is ever coming to Armenia’s aid.
It’s hard to take you seriously about anything when you failed both your Geography and Maths exams at school.
You are a failure at geography as you do not understand that genocidal Turks are on Armenia’s Western and Eastern borders.
You are a failure at maths as you do not understand that 3 million Armemians cannot defeat 95 millions Turks.
What is your game, Charlie?
Armenia will always be with Russia because of geography.
You are a fantasist to think otherwise.
@Robert Whig
Russia judges Azerbaijan and Turkey as more important to its interests than Armenia, geography and population maths shows that.
It was nigh impossible for western countries to support Armenia when it was aligned with Russia.
Until Russian expansion, it had been of little relevance to Armenia.
Russia is busy in its proxy war with the west in Ukraine and unless it conquer Georgia and or Azerbaijan doesn’t adjoin Armenia
It was Pashinyan derided by one as a coward and traitor by one whose government recognised Palestine despite Armenia drawing closer to the USA generally hostile to such endeavours and by doing so brought an end to the anomaly geographic too! of Armenia despite its poor relationship with Israel effectively taking a pro Israel position by declining to recognise Palestine and join the majority of UN countries in doing so maths too!
are you on drug
zangezeur will never returned to khabis turk or khabis azari
Now Armenia is dictated terms to by Russia.This is what the Armenians get for the anti russian stance and allowing the trojan horse pashoglu to run the country. We lose artsakh and know they (the turks) want a transportation corridor through zangezur. America and the west will do zero for Armenia. They will keep as much influence as they can in Armenia – at Armenia’s expense – until they are forced to flee along with their hand picked traitor. What is left of Armenia at that point is still unclear. Poor leadership brought us to this point and allowed a weasel like pashoglu to take power.