Putin steps in to mediate Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict during Baku visit

• Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Azerbaijan for the first time since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
• Putin reaffirms its commitment to mediating peace negotiations 
• Putin plans to share the outcomes of the negotiations with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

During his visit to Baku on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Moscow's commitment to mediating peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, even as Russia remains engaged in its campaign in Ukraine.

Putin arrived in Azerbaijan for a two-day visit, marking his first trip to the oil-rich nation since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Baku's recapture of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in a September 2023 offensive. While Russia has long been the primary mediator between the Caucasus rivals, its involvement in Ukraine over the past two years has allowed Western powers to take on a growing role in the conflict's arbitration.

“It is widely known that Russia is also facing crises, first of all on the Ukrainian track,” Putin said in Baku in joint remarks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“However, Russia’s historical involvement in the events in the South Caucasus, even during the recent years, makes it necessary for us to participate where needed by the sides, without a doubt.”

Baku’s campaign ended three decades of Armenian separatist rule, straining Yerevan’s relationship with its traditional ally, Moscow. Armenia accused Russia of inaction and has since strengthened its ties with Western countries.

“If we can do something to sign a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia... we will be very happy to,” Putin said.

The Russian leader stated that after he visits Baku, he would contact Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to "share the outcomes of our negotiations." Aliyev emphasized that regional security heavily relied on strong cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia.

“The new situation (since September last year) opens up new opportunities for establishing a lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” he said.

Baku's swift offensive last September recaptured Karabakh, causing the entire ethnic Armenian population of the mountainous enclave—over 100,000 people—to flee.

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