AZE.US
Azerbaijan and Russia have declared that their bilateral relations have been fully normalized after a period of serious tensions, following talks between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow.
The ministers held both one-on-one and expanded-format meetings before addressing reporters at a joint news conference.
Bayramov said the two countries had managed to turn the page on recent disagreements and restore the full range of bilateral ties.
“In the recent past, we faced difficulties in our bilateral relations. We are pleased to note that we have been able to turn this page and fully normalize the entire spectrum of our relations,” he said.
According to Bayramov, the improvement became possible due to the personal involvement of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia and the agreements reached during their meeting in Dushanbe.
Lavrov also said Moscow considered the period of difficulties to have been overcome. He said the two sides had agreed to make up for the pause in contacts and continue developing relations under the 2022 Moscow Declaration on Allied Interaction.
The foreign ministers signed a plan of consultations between their ministries for 2026 and 2027. The document provides for regular meetings between senior officials and specialized departments of the two foreign ministries.
Trade Approaches $5 Billion
Economic cooperation, investment and transport projects were among the main issues discussed during the talks.
Bayramov said trade between Azerbaijan and Russia reached approximately $4.9 billion in 2025, an increase of about 2.5 percent from the previous year.
Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk are expected to meet in September to discuss new trade and economic initiatives.
The 25th meeting of the interparliamentary commission between Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis and Russia’s Federal Assembly is also scheduled to take place in Moscow in December.
Suspended Flights Expected to Resume
One of the most practical outcomes announced during the visit was the planned restoration of direct flights on several routes between Azerbaijan and Russia.
Bayramov said the routes had been restricted following the deadly crash of an Azerbaijani passenger aircraft in December 2024. The cities involved and the dates for the resumption of flights were not immediately disclosed.
Lavrov said the two countries had addressed issues related to the tragedy during the current year, but he did not provide details of the understandings reached.
North-South Corridor Capacity to Expand
The ministers also discussed the International North-South Transport Corridor, a major trade route linking Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and markets further south.
Bayramov said work on the Azerbaijani section was proceeding according to the agreed schedule.
Once related infrastructure projects in Russia and Iran are completed, Azerbaijan will be ready to increase the annual capacity of its section of the corridor to 5 million tons by 2028, he said.
Azerbaijan Says De Facto Peace Exists With Armenia
The normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia was another major topic of the Moscow talks.
Bayramov said the initialing of a draft peace agreement had created a unique opportunity for lasting peace in the South Caucasus. He said a “de facto peace” already existed between Azerbaijan and Armenia, although several outstanding issues still needed to be resolved before the normalization process could be formally completed.
The Azerbaijani minister also briefed Lavrov on reconstruction work in territories restored to Baku’s control and the return of displaced residents.
Azerbaijan confirmed that it remained interested in continuing the regional 3+3 cooperation format, which brings together Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Turkey and Iran.
Baku has proposed hosting the next ministerial meeting. Lavrov said the gathering could take place in either Baku or Yerevan once the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides coordinate their schedules.
Baku Repeats Position on Russia-Ukraine War
During the visit, Bayramov also reiterated Azerbaijan’s position on the war between Russia and Ukraine.
He said Baku remained deeply concerned about the continuing conflict, the human suffering it had caused and its wider impact on regional stability.
The Azerbaijani foreign minister reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the principles of international law and called for de-escalation and a peaceful settlement.
Bayramov’s Moscow visit therefore went beyond diplomatic protocol. It served as a public confirmation that Azerbaijan and Russia consider their recent dispute closed and are moving toward renewed political contacts, expanded trade, restored air links and closer cooperation on regional transport projects.
AZE.US