live Ukraine marks 35 years of independence amid war with Russia
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv wants peace but will not surrender to Russia, as foreign leaders joined Inde...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he expects business ties with Azerbaijan to emerge soon, describing economic engagement as key to consolidating peace between the two countries.
Speaking while presenting his ruling Civil Contract party’s 2026 election programme, Pashinyan said the “institutionalisation of peace” between Armenia and Azerbaijan was already under way and had developed a formal legal basis.
He pointed to progress since 2024, including the delimitation and demarcation of sections of the state border in Armenia’s Tavush region, as well as the signing and ratification of regulations governing the joint work of Armenian and Azerbaijani border commissions.
Those agreements, he said, enshrine the Alma-Ata Declaration as the guiding principle for border delimitation, meaning both sides recognise each other’s territories along the borders of their former Soviet republics.
Pashinyan also highlighted developments in 2025, including the initialling of a bilateral peace agreement and the Washington Declaration, which set out principles for normalisation and the reopening of regional transport routes.
Looking ahead, he outlined steps to deepen the peace process.
These include continuing border delimitation, implementing transport connectivity initiatives under the so-called TRIPP framework agreed with the United States in January 2026, and finalising and ratifying the peace agreement between the two countries.
Beyond formal agreements, Pashinyan stressed the importance of broader engagement between societies.
“Contacts between civil society and business community representatives, bilateral trade, and political, cultural, and humanitarian dialogue are important tools for institutionalising peace,” he said.
He added that some of these processes were already taking shape, noting early signs of limited trade and growing civil society interaction.
“I hope and am convinced that business ties will also be established in the near future, which is one of the key means and tools for institutionalising peace,” Pashinyan said.
Azerbaijani officials have also emphasised the economic and strategic benefits of normalising ties, arguing that a final peace agreement would unlock regional trade routes and boost connectivity across the South Caucasus.
Baku has prioritised the unblocking of transport links, including routes connecting mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave, as part of wider internationally backed initiatives.
Signs of normalisation have already emerged, with Azerbaijan resuming limited fuel shipments to Armenia after decades, signalling progress towards economic co-operation.
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv wants peace but will not surrender to Russia, as foreign leaders joined Independence Day events marking 35 years since Ukraine’s independence.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffic through the key energy chokepoint.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Kazakhstan has concluded its first election to the new unicameral Kurultai, with turnout reaching 74.19 per cent, as vote counting begins following a major overhaul of the country’s parliamentary system.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Syria has called for international action after an Israeli drone strike hit a civilian vehicle near Damascus, warning that continued Israeli attacks could deepen instability and put civilians at greater risk.
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