AZE.US
A recent meeting in Baku between Russian representatives and former German officials may be part of a broader Kremlin effort to reopen informal channels with Europe, according to political analyst Ahmad Alili.
Speaking on the Novosti Kavkaza YouTube channel, Alili said the talks in the Azerbaijani capital should not be viewed as an isolated event.
The identities of the participants and the details of their discussions have not been publicly disclosed.
“There is a sense that Russia is trying to remind its European colleagues, especially the Germans, of its importance and the role it can still play,” Alili said.
He argued that Moscow is attempting to use former European politicians, officials and business figures who maintained close ties with Russia before the war in Ukraine.
Those networks were particularly extensive in Germany, where Russian energy companies, including Gazprom, had built strong relationships with political and business circles.
Alili described the Baku meeting as one piece of a larger campaign that also includes public statements by Russian business figures and other contacts with members of the European establishment.
In his assessment, Moscow has turned its attention toward Europe after failing to secure the reset it sought with President Donald Trump’s administration.
“The effort with the Americans did not succeed, so Russia is now trying to work with Europe and demonstrate that it can still influence events,” Alili said.
He cautioned, however, that unofficial meetings with former officials are unlikely to restore normal relations between Russia and the European Union unless Moscow changes its policy toward Ukraine.
Alili said the minimum step required to reopen a serious dialogue would be a ceasefire.
Baku, meanwhile, has emerged as a convenient and relatively neutral venue for sensitive contacts between Russian and European figures.
The meeting highlights Azerbaijan’s growing role as a location where Russian and European interests can intersect, even as formal relations between Moscow and the West remain deeply strained.
AZE.US