Press Secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, has revealed to RIA Novosti that there are no current plans for a separate bilateral meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the approaching Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit. This announcement comes amid longstanding tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

While there is no formal scheduled meeting, the sidelines of the summit provide an opportunity for all attending leaders to engage in discussions. The lack of an official dialogue, therefore, does not rule out the possibility of informal interactions between the two leaders. The CIS summit, a platform for leaders of former Soviet republics, is primarily aimed at facilitating conversations around cooperation and matters of mutual interest.

The backdrop to this summit is a series of geopolitical tensions. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in negotiations to normalize relations and potentially sign a peace agreement, a process in which Russia and the West have been competitive participants. The U.S. and EU’s involvement in these peace negotiations, alongside Azerbaijan’s strained relationship with France and the EU’s support for Armenia’s armed forces, further complicate the situation.

Prime Minister Pashinyan has publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, implying that the loss of Nagorno Karabakh was due to him and demonstrating a potential inclination towards the West. This has been met with mockery and warnings from the Russian side. Despite these tensions, Pashinyan and President Aliyev signed a declaration acknowledging Yerevan’s recognition of Baku’s sovereignty over Karabakh. The potential shift in Armenia’s allegiances, from friendly Russian-Armenian ties towards the West, has raised concerns and is a subject of keen interest at the upcoming CIS summit.