Peace or Powerplay? Yerevan, Baku Speak on Foreign Influence
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
Armenia has confirmed it will not approve or contribute to the CSTO’s 2024 budget, effectively withdrawing from funding the bloc’s operations. This decision follows ongoing tensions, with PM Pashinyan previously labeling the alliance a “security threat” to Armenia.
Armenia has confirmed it will not contribute to the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's (CSTO) 2024 budget, effectively halting its financial support of the Russian-led military alliance.
The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it has formally informed the CSTO Secretariat of its decision, signaling a significant break in the country's involvement.
This move follows warnings from Russia that Armenia risks facing unspecified "alternative courses of action" if it fails to pay its dues by 2025. The decision underscores the deepening rift between Yerevan and the CSTO, which Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has increasingly criticised.
Pashinyan has previously declared a suspension of Armenia's participation in CSTO activities and labeled the alliance a "security threat," asserting that relations have reached a point of no return.
Pakistan will begin its first freight train service to Russia from Lahore on June 22. The route is part of the INSTC and aims to connect Pakistan's rail network with Central Asia, establishing a new trade corridor via Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned U.S. immigration raids and National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, calling for reforms instead of enforcement.
Israel’s military says it has identified the body of top Hamas commander Mohammed Sinwar beneath a hospital in southern Gaza.
An Air India flight with 242 passengers on board crashed in Meghaninagar, close to Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat, on Thursday afternoon.
In June 2025, Iran and Israel entered direct war for the first time, ending years of covert hostilities. The three-day conflict reshaped regional dynamics and left lasting military, civilian, and diplomatic consequences.
On 15 June, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Ahmed Metani, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine.
On June 15, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Kang Kymgu, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea. Following the formal presentation of credentials, President Aliyev held a meeting with Ambassador Kymgu.
Azerbaijan is facilitating the evacuation of foreign nationals from Iran, a process that has included private citizens and diplomatic staff. The assistance has involved providing transit for Kyrgyz citizens and, subsequently, the staff and families of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Tehran.
Azerbaijan will not permit any country to use its territory to strike a third party, including Iran, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov tells his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in a phone call on Saturday.
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