Russia’s Putin arrives in Azerbaijan for state visit to discuss ‘problems’

Putin’s two-day visit to the Caucasus country comes amid an unprecedented Ukrainian military offensive on Russian soil

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre) is welcomed upon arrival at the airport in Baku, Azerbaijan on Sunday. Photo: Sputnik via Reuters

Published: 2:40am, 19 Aug 2024Updated: 9:11am, 19 Aug 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Sunday for a two-day state visit, Russian news agencies reported.

Russian television broadcast images of the Russian president’s plane as it arrived in Baku in the evening.

His visit to the Caucasus country, a close partner of both Moscow and Turkey but also a major energy supplier to Western countries, comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented Ukrainian military offensive on Russian soil.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev (right) and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva (centre) meet Putin at their home in Baku on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Putin is expected to hold talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on bilateral relations and “international and regional problems”, the Kremlin said.

The two leaders are dining on Sunday evening at the Azerbaijani president’s official residence, local official news agency Asertac said.

On Monday, Aliyev and Putin will sign joint documents and make statements to the press, said Russian agency RIA Novosti.

Putin will also lay a wreath on the tomb of Heydar Aliyev, father of the current leader, who was president from 1993 to 2003.

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