MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Azerbaijan on Sunday for a two-day trip aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and addressing international and regional issues, according to the Kremlin. This will be Putin’s first visit to the Caucasus nation since 2018.
The visit comes as Russia aims to reassert its role as a mediator between Azerbaijan and its long-time adversary, Armenia. During the trip, Putin and Azerbaijani leaders will discuss the advancement of Russian-Azerbaijani relations and other pressing international and regional matters.
The Kremlin has announced that a Joint Statement from the Heads of State, along with several intergovernmental and other agreements, will be signed following the visit.
In recent years, Russia’s influence in the Caucasus has diminished, with Armenia leaning more towards Western alliances and Azerbaijan emerging as a significant player in the European energy market.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European nations have increasingly turned to Azerbaijan for oil and gas as they seek alternatives to Russian energy sources.
