Putin arrives in Azerbaijan for a two-day visit
Kyiv • UNN
Vladimir Putin has begun a two-day visit to Azerbaijan. They are planning to discuss cooperation between the two countries, the Azerbaijani-Armenian peace process, and the possible signing of new agreements on gas transportation.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin arrived in Azerbaijan on Sunday, August 18. His visit will last two days - August 18-19, according to official information. This was reported by the Azerbaijani Air Force, UNN reports.
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Putin arrived in Baku at a time when fighting against the Ukrainian army was taking place on Russian territory.
According to the Kremlin, the visit will discuss the development of allied and strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia.
Putin is also expected to discuss the Azerbaijani-Armenian peace process with President Ilham Aliyev.
Vladimir Putin is visiting Azerbaijan for the first time since the war against Ukraine began two years ago.
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This visit also comes at a time when Ukraine is encroaching on Russian territory and military operations are underway in Russia. After being isolated by the West over the annexation of Ukrainian lands, Vladimir Putin is trying to strengthen relations with his allies and establish new ones.
He signed an alliance treaty with Azerbaijan on the days his army entered Ukraine. Although the Azerbaijani government has good relations with Ukraine and the West, it has never turned its back on Putin. This state visit is also an opportunity for the Russian leader to demonstrate to the world that he is not alone.
On his previous state visit, Putin visited North Korea and Vietnam.
After starting the war in Ukraine, Russia stopped exporting gas to Europe because of Western sanctions. Instead, Azerbaijan signed an agreement with the European Union and agreed to export more gas to European countries that Russia had cut off.
Political analyst Fuad Shahbazov believes that the main goals of Vladimir Putin's current visit to Azerbaijan are economic and energy issues.
According to him, a new document on gas transportation between Azerbaijan and Russia may be signed during the visit.
“A document may be signed on the transportation of Russian gas to Azerbaijan and an increase in the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe instead. That is, Russian gas can be used to supply the domestic market. In addition, some document on economic cooperation may be signed,” Fuad Shahbazov said.
According to Mr. Shakhbazov, another goal of this visit may be to strengthen Russia's position in the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process.
He believes that Western institutions have recently become more active in the peace process between the two countries, and that there is interest in Russia visiting the region to regain its “relatively lost influence.
“This visit aims to confirm Russia's interest in the region,” Fuad Shahbazov said.