Caucasus in April 2026: the most important developments in politics
In the Caucasus in April 2026, the most widely reported political story was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Azerbaijan on April 25 for talks on security and energy cooperation. Ukraine proposed trilateral talks in Azerbaijan if Russia is "ready for diplomacy," and Russia responded to the proposal for talks in Baku.
Armenia's relations with Russia and its foreign policy orientation drew the most attention otherwise. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was named candidate for premier in the upcoming elections. Vladimir Putin told Armenia that EU membership is "impossible" for it, and Russia said it has the right to clarify Armenia's election plans while also saying Armenia understands its concerns. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko urged caution in the Collective Security Treaty Organization's dealings with Armenia and advised the organization's chief to talk directly with Pashinyan. On April 20 reports said Armenia considers joining the European Union under certain conditions, will not intensify its activities in the CSTO, and is ready to open its border with Turkey. Pashinyan said implementation of the Trump Route is only accelerating. Civil societies of Armenia and Azerbaijan held a new round of broad talks on April 11 to advance the peace process.
Russia and Azerbaijan reached an agreement on the aftermath of the AZAL plane crash, covering compensation and investigation procedures, and both sides confirmed it. An Azerbaijani court extended the detention of eight Russians. Russia thanked Azerbaijan and Armenia for helping evacuate Russian citizens from Iran. India and Azerbaijan reset their bilateral relations, and Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics visited Azerbaijan for talks on energy cooperation and regional security.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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