Opinion14- Page

Today, a paradoxical situation has emerged. Baku and Yerevan are engaged in direct peace negotiations — without intermediaries — as shown by their recent meeting in Abu Dhabi.

Azerbaijan and Armenia take a key step toward peace in Abu Dhabi talks without mediators.

Armenia is experiencing yet another wave of “Zangezur hysteria.”

Turkmenistan has long pursued a policy of neutrality and refrains from joining international blocs. Although it is a Turkic-speaking country, Turkmenistan is not a full member of the Organization of Turkic States and participates in its meetings only as an observer.

Prior to the visit, Kallas and Pashinyan had discussed the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Tirana.

Unlike previous meetings held in European capitals or Moscow – often overshadowed by the agendas of external actors – the UAE offered a neutral and geopolitically unaligned platform.

On June 27, Russian law enforcement raided the homes of Azerbaijani nationals residing in Yekaterinburg. Two were killed, several injured, and nine detained.

Five years ago, on July 12, 2020, Azerbaijan’s information space exploded with reports from Gazakh and Tovuz: Armenian aggressors had attempted an offensive along this section of the border.

On July 10, one of the most significant meetings in the history of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations took place in Abu Dhabi. The negotiations were held strictly in a bilateral format.

In recent days, relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have entered a new phase of unprecedented tension due to several incidents and shifting geopolitical dynamics in the South Caucasus.

Yesterday’s meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Abu Dhabi received significant attention in both local and international media.

The most significant recent development in the region’s political life was the meeting in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss a range of issues related to advancing the peace agenda between the two countries.

Mehdi Sobhani, Iran’s controversial ambassador to Armenia, has once again made headlines. This time, he chose to comment on the recent ECO summit in Khankendi.

Amid growing instability in global and regional politics, the process of normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia is drawing increasing attention.

The Republic of Azerbaijan hosted the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) on 3-4 July in Khankendi, Karabakh region – a major milestone for the region that reaffirms the country’s growing leadership in promoting regional cooperation and sustainable development.

A Russian raid in Ekaterinburg targeting ethnic Azerbaijanis on June 27 resulted in deaths, injuries, and allegations of torture. This ignited a severe diplomatic crisis, with Baku accusing Moscow of ethnic violence and launching a criminal investigation.

Russia is increasing its military presence in Armenia—more specifically, at its base in Gyumri.

Today, the most important news in Azerbaijan comes from the liberated Karabakh region — and not only about the ECO summit.

In the long term, if Moscow genuinely wants not only to defuse short-term tensions but also to prevent future crises, Russia must abandon its arrogant, imperial tone in dealings with Azerbaijan.

The hosting of the first international forum with participation of heads of state in Khankendi became a vivid symbol not only of recognition, but also of acceptance of the transformations that have occurred in recent years—both by regional and international political communities.

Azerbaijan’s relations with its northern neighbor, Russia, which is a critical player of the geopolitical equation in the South Caucasus, have deteriorated over the few months to the level unprecedented in the post-Soviet period.

The city of Khankendi is hosting the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit—yet another sign that Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, particularly Khankendi and Shusha, have become arenas for important diplomatic meetings and international forums.

The South Caucasus is emerging as a critical subsystem in the evolving architecture of Eurasian geopolitics, where local incidents increasingly function as conduits for broader strategic readjustments.