Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met on Thursday in Tajikistan for their first full-scale discussion in several months, signaling a renewed focus on bilateral ties between Moscow and Baku.

The meeting comes after a brief encounter between the two leaders in September at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China, which did not involve in-depth talks. Thursday’s meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to address outstanding issues in their bilateral relations.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov highlighted Russia’s positive outlook ahead of the meeting, stating that the leaders were expected to cover all matters that have accumulated in the relationship between the two countries.

Observers note that the discussions are likely to touch upon regional security, economic cooperation, and energy partnerships, given the strategic importance of Russia-Azerbaijan ties in the Caucasus and the broader Eurasian region.

While no official details of the talks have been released, analysts suggest that the meeting underscores both countries’ intent to maintain steady cooperation amidst evolving regional dynamics, including developments in neighboring countries and multilateral forums such as the SCO. (ILKHA)