Baku–Moscow Tensions Subdued, but Underlying Distrust Persists

(Vasif Huseynov – The Jamestown Foundation) Azerbaijan lodged diplomatic protests against Russia over President Vladimir Putin’s comments on Karabakh during his April 1 meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which Baku regarded as an attempt to reopen an issue it deems resolved. Despite accumulated grievances over the past year and a half, including the December 2024 targeting of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 and Russian strikes on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Kyiv, the sides have largely compartmentalized disputes to protect economic ties. Azerbaijan’s commitment to non-alignment keeps its relations with Russia open, but Baku is seeking concrete steps from Russia to repair relations, grounded in respect for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. – Baku–Moscow Tensions Subdued, but Underlying Distrust Persists – Jamestown