Kremlin optimistic ahead of Putin–Aliyev meeting in Dushanbe

The Kremlin says it is optimistic about talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, due to take place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Wednesday — their first full meeting in a year.

The meeting will take place during Putin’s state visit to Tajikistan, with both sides preparing to discuss bilateral relations and unresolved issues.

Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Russian side held an “optimistic” outlook ahead of the talks.

“We expect the presidents to discuss the current state of our bilateral relations and to address existing problematic areas,” he said.

Peskov added that the two leaders held a “good, positive, and constructive” phone call on 7 October, during which the upcoming meeting was arranged. The conversation took place on Putin’s birthday, with Aliyev calling to extend his congratulations.

It marked the first direct exchange between the two presidents in more than six months.

The meeting in Dushanbe is taking place on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit. It will be the first full-format bilateral meeting between Putin and Aliyev since October 2024, which also occurred during a CIS gathering.

Peskov also said that Putin and Aliyev briefly exchanged words at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit earlier this year in Tianjin, China, though no formal talks were held at the time.

The Kremlin said the agenda in Dushanbe is wide-ranging, with Russian–Azerbaijani relations being a key focus alongside other regional and international matters.

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