In a recent visit to Baku, where he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow remains committed to its historical role as a mediator in peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This marks Putin’s first visit to Azerbaijan since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and since Baku regained the Nagorno-Karabakh region from ethnic Armenian separatists during an offensive in September.

Historically, Russia has served as a traditional mediator between the two Caucasus nations, both of which were once part of the Soviet Union. However, over the past two years, Russia has been preoccupied with its military campaign in Ukraine, which has allowed Western powers to take a more prominent role in the conflict. “It is well known that Russia is also facing crises, primarily regarding the situation in Ukraine,” Putin remarked in Baku, reflecting on his comments alongside Aliyev.

The Azerbaijani campaign ended three decades of Armenian separatist rule in Nagorno-Karabakh, worsening relations with Russia’s traditional ally, Armenia, which has accused Moscow of inaction. In response, Armenia has strengthened its ties with Western countries. Russia declined to intervene on Yerevan’s side, which allowed Azerbaijan to reclaim the long-disputed territory. This resulted in an exodus of over 100,000 people from the Armenian population in the region, who feared reprisals.

“If we can do anything to sign a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, … we would be very happy about that,” said Putin. Following his visit to Baku, the Russian president anticipated contacting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to discuss the outcomes of the meeting.

Aliyev emphasized that security in the region largely depends on close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia. “The new situation [since September] opens up new opportunities for establishing lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” he stated.

During their discussions, the leaders also talked about joint initiatives, including the construction of small tanker vessels designed to transport oil from the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Azerbaijan, located by the Caspian Sea, is a significant energy supplier to the European Union and has historically pursued a policy largely independent of Moscow.