Kremlin Disagrees with Azerbaijan’s Ukraine Stance but Urges Reset in Ties

By Staff, Agencies

The Kremlin said Tuesday that it disagrees with Azerbaijan’s position on the Ukraine conflict but hopes this difference will not obstruct efforts to mend strained bilateral ties.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the divergence in views yet stressed Russia’s desire to overcome what it called a temporary “cooling” in relations with Baku.

The statement comes after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at the Shusha Global Media Forum, urged Ukraine to “never agree to occupation.” He encouraged Kiev to follow Azerbaijan’s model in reclaiming territory, referencing Baku’s 2023 military operation that forced the departure of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.

While noting the disagreement over Ukraine, Peskov emphasized that Moscow does not want “mutually beneficial interests” sacrificed over what he called a short-term situation.

Relations between the two countries have become tense following the killing of two Azerbaijani nationals in a Russian police operation in Ekaterinburg last month. Baku rejected Moscow’s account of the incident, accusing Russian authorities of unlawful killings.

In retaliation, Azerbaijani police raided the local office of Russia’s Sputnik news agency, detaining journalists and suspending Russian cultural events.

Despite the fallout, Moscow has stressed the “historically cooperative” nature of its ties with Azerbaijan and expressed hope for a return to normalcy.