Latest news in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, summary. Live

● President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were among the guests at a grand parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and in World War II.

● Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: “The agreements reached in Washington between Baku and Yerevan have significantly accelerated the normalization process. Azerbaijan and Armenia have largely overcome obstacles to peace and reached the final stage. I held detailed talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and later with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In both meetings, I saw that they share the same position.”

● Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: “Russia and Iran will in time realize that their concerns over the ‘Zangezur Corridor’ are unfounded. Lasting peace in the South Caucasus will open new opportunities for the region. Border crossings will open, road and railway routes will expand, and all countries in the region will benefit from new opportunities for cooperation.”

In Azerbaijan, the “Zangezur Corridor” refers to a road linking the country with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. At the August 8 meeting in Washington, attended by Donald Trump, Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to open such a transit route with the participation of American companies. The road was named the “Trump Route” — TRIPP.

● “Turkey will continue to support the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” wrote the Turkish vice president on social media after meeting with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anar Aliyev. “Following the historic step taken in Washington on August 8, our hopes for lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus have further increased.”

● In Brazil, the first meeting of the Azerbaijan-Brazil Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment Cooperation was held. The two sides noted that trade turnover more than doubled in the first half of the year and discussed prospects for further expansion in transport and logistics, energy, agriculture, technology, tourism, and other areas.

● An agreement on cooperation in education was signed between Azerbaijan and Brazil by Azerbaijani Ambassador Rashad Novruz and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.

● Charges are intensifying against several local and international NGO representatives under arrest. Lawyer for Bashir Suleymanli, head of the Institute for Civil Rights, confirmed this to Radio Liberty’s Azerbaijani Service. Detained in March, Suleymanli was charged with money laundering, fraud, and other crimes carrying up to 12 years in prison. He denies all charges, claiming his arrest was linked to his human rights work.

The so-called “NGO case” involves over 100 people, including staff of international donor organizations operating in Azerbaijan. Since March, those arrested include Hafiz Hasanov (head of the NGO Law and Development), former adviser to the German Marshall Fund Mehriban Rahimli, head of the Center for Economic Research Galib Bayramov, executive director of the Election Monitoring Alliance Mamed Alpay (Mamedzade), activist Asaf Ahmedov, and social workers Zamin Zaki and Ahmed Mamedzade. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Subhan Hasanli, head of the Center for Social Rights, who is currently abroad, and for civic activist Aytaj Agazade. Reports indicate that several leaders of pro-government NGOs are also under investigation.

● Newly appointed EU Ambassador Mariana Kuyundžić has arrived in Baku. Before this appointment, she represented Croatia on the EU’s Political and Security Committee in Brussels.

● The trial continued of Ruben Vardanyan, former state minister of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Armenian citizen, who is in pre-trial detention. He is accused of torture, mercenary activities, war crimes, terrorism, and other offenses. According to state agency AzerTac, “the court heard testimony from victims and relatives of those killed, abducted, tortured, and otherwise harmed during the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories.” The next hearing is scheduled for September 9.

● The Interior Ministry denied reports that Viken Abraham Ghouljekjian, a Lebanese-Armenian mercenary and terrorist serving his sentence in an Azerbaijani prison, had declared a hunger strike. AzerTac reported that he was detained by state security after the 2020 Second Karabakh War. He was convicted of mercenary activity, forming illegal armed groups, unlawful border crossing, and other crimes, and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

● “The falling water level in the Caspian Sea is complicating ship reception at ports. It also causes the death of marine life and the formation of new islands. Oil and gas operations in the sea are at risk. The decline continues and, according to forecasts, will deepen further,” said Mukhtar Babayev, the Azerbaijani president’s representative for climate issues.

● Azerbaijan has established another border checkpoint at the newly built international airport in Lachin, a city retaken during the 2020 Second Karabakh War.

● Police and the Ministry of Ecology removed two ostriches and 13 ring-necked parrots that were being kept illegally at the “Turan” restaurant in Sumgait. The operation was carried out at the initiative of the IDEA public association. The animals were taken to the Baku Zoo for veterinary checks. As part of the Urban Ecology project, parrot populations have been restored in Baku parks for several years, and the rescued parrots are also expected to be released into the wild. IDEA again urged the public to avoid keeping wild animals illegally and to report such cases via its hotline or social media.

● Three people were hospitalized after a gas cylinder exploded in the trunk of a car in downtown Yerevan. A nearby passenger bus was also heavily damaged. One person remains in serious condition.

● “The issues of releasing prisoners and returning Karabakh Armenians to their homes must be included in the Armenian-Azerbaijani talks,” said former members of the parliament of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) at a rally in Yerevan. The event was dedicated to “Nagorno-Karabakh Independence Day.” Many participants carried photos of NKR leaders and other ethnic Armenians held in Azerbaijani prisons. Placards read: “Grief is eternal without struggle,” “Ethnic cleansing is a crime, not peace,” and “No rights without struggle.”

● “Nagorno-Karabakh Independence Day” was also marked by opposition party leaders and former NKR officials, who laid flowers at the new “Call of Artsakh” memorial complex at the Yerablur military cemetery. The complex was described as dedicated to the heroes of the Karabakh wars and to innocent victims of a tragic explosion in Karabakh. Opposition Hayrenik party leader Artur Vanetsyan said, “The Armenian authorities tried to block the opening of this memorial, but later realized such a step would be a major mistake.”

● Former Chief of the General Staff of Armenia Movses Hakobyan said the return of Karabakh Armenians to their homes is realistic. “It only takes convincing people of the viability of such an idea. Their return would bring honor and dignity,” said Hakobyan, himself a native of Karabakh.

● Ethnic Armenian Lebanese citizen Viken Euljekchian, imprisoned in Azerbaijan, has allegedly been on hunger strike for 20 days, according to his relative Lusiana Minasyan on social media. Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry denied the claim.

● Prosecutors are seeking to confiscate more than $8 million from ex-president Serzh Sargsyan in a case concerning land privatization. The motion was filed in court, but no decision has been made; the hearing was adjourned until October 22. The case involves the privatization of plots near the Yerablur military pantheon in Yerevan.

● Armenian grandmaster Tigran Petrosyan won the international blitz chess tournament in California, the Armenian Chess Federation reported. The two-time Chess Olympiad champion with Armenia’s national team scored 8 out of 10 points to secure sole victory.

● Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Sobhani completed his mission in Armenia. At a farewell meeting, he was awarded a departmental medal by Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.

● More than 20 people were detained with the use of force on Rustaveli Avenue during a protest on Tuesday evening. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the arrests were due to disobedience of lawful police orders and an attempt to enter the roadway. The continuous pro-European protest has been ongoing for more than 9 months.

● Eight participants in the pro-European protests have received sentences. Three were sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, and five were sentenced to 2 years. Russian citizen Anton Chechin was sentenced to 8 years and 6 months in prison on drug-related charges. Read more here

● “After several months of illegal detention, the ‘Georgian Dream’ regime has unjustly sentenced peaceful protesters. It punishes young citizens for Georgia’s European future. Our collective duty is to fight for their release by peaceful means and ensure that the country consistently follows the European path,” wrote Giorgi Gakharia, former prime minister and leader of the “For Georgia” party.

● A parliamentary commission from the ‘Georgian Dream’ party investigating government actions during Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency presented its final report to parliament. It stated that in 2008, the Georgian army was “dragged into a war by politicians far from military matters, who, hoping for external support and ignoring the opinions of Georgian military personnel, launched an attack on Tskhinvali.” The report also claims that the 2003 “Rose Revolution” in Georgia was essentially a coup. The report accuses then-Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Gakharia, now an opposition leader, of unilaterally deciding to establish checkpoints in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone, which “led to a new violation of Georgia’s territorial integrity.” More details here.

● The opposition “United National Movement,” which is central to the accusations since it was the ruling party at that time, called the commission’s report “anti-Georgian propaganda” and stated that “it will be effectively used by Russia against Georgia.”

● The opposition “Coalition for Change” called the sentences “a decision by the established court in Georgia.” “No political prisoner will remain in illegal captivity for the term imposed today by the so-called court. The path to victory lies in rejecting the regime’s rules and continuous resistance. Fight until victory!” the statement reads.

● Shalva Papuashvili, chairman of the “Georgian Dream” parliamentary faction, said, “The commission’s report is the last chance for all countries to finally understand what kind of dictatorial regime the ‘National Movement’ they supported was and to condemn it. If they miss this chance, the Georgian people certainly will not forgive them,” Papuashvili said.

● 46% of the population in 27 EU member states support Georgia’s accession to the European Union, provided the country meets all necessary criteria, while 43% oppose it. These results were presented by the “Eurobarometer.” The highest support for Georgia joining the EU was recorded in Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Cyprus, Croatia, Slovakia, Hungary, Spain, Greece, the Netherlands, and Portugal. The highest opposition was recorded in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and France.

At least 23 activists were detained today in Tbilisi during a mass pro-European protest that has continued for more than nine months. Video shows one of the arrests. The Interior Ministry said the reason was failure to comply with police orders and attempts to step onto the… pic.twitter.com/8vqAWph43y

— JAMnews (@JAMnewsCaucasus) September 2, 2025

● The OSCE Minsk Group, which for more than 30 years dealt with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has been dissolved. The request for its dissolution was submitted by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan during their meeting in Washington on August 8, when they ratified the peace declaration. The opposition in Armenia claims that the decision did not reflect Yerevan’s free will, calling it “one of the preconditions imposed by Azerbaijan for signing the so-called peace treaty.”

● A report of a crime has been submitted against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the Prosecutor General’s Office because of his statement “The government is me.” This was written on Facebook by Levon Zurabyan, Deputy Chairman of the opposition Armenian National Congress. “Let’s check—maybe the Prosecutor General’s Office is also him?” Zurabyan wrote.

● Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar signed a document in Tianjin establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, based on the principles of the UN Charter—respect for territorial integrity, non-interference, and peaceful coexistence. The sides agreed to exchange diplomatic representatives.

● The Foreign Ministry did not provide details regarding rumors that Pakistan allegedly blocked Armenia’s accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). “We continue to work with interested SCO member states to further develop mutually beneficial partnership with the organization,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson told NEWS.am.

● “The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, goes beyond the logic agreed upon in Washington,” said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, speaking at the SCO summit in Tianjin in the “SCO+” format. This was said after Aliyev used the term “Zangezur Corridor” in reference to the road that would connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan autonomy through Armenian territory. “In the declaration adopted by the leaders of the two countries, terminology was agreed upon, and I believe its consistent use will contribute to a constructive atmosphere,” Pashinyan said. He noted that Yerevan and Baku have begun discussions on opening transport communications that would create new logistics opportunities for SCO member states, including Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s immediate neighbors.

At the Washington meeting between Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev on August 8, attended by Donald Trump, an agreement was reached to open a transit route through the region under the name “Trump Route” (TRIPP).

● On the sidelines of the SCO summit, Nikol Pashinyan met with the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan. With Ilham Aliyev he discussed the peace process, and both sides agreed to continue contacts. With Recep Tayyip Erdoğan he discussed Turkish-Armenian relations.

● The First Ladies of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Anna Hakobyan and Mehriban Aliyeva, were photographed together during a reception organized in honor of China’s First Lady Peng Liyuan at the SCO summit (see photo).

● The European Union will continue its observer mission in Armenia in accordance with its mandate; at the moment, no changes are required. This was stated by EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos in response to a question from RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on whether the issue of troop withdrawal from the border had arisen after the initialing of the peace agreement between Yerevan and Baku.

● Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk advised Armenia to “carefully weigh all factors when deciding whether to leave the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU, led by Russia) in order to obtain EU membership.” This was a comment on Nikol Pashinyan’s recent statement that Yerevan understands the impossibility of simultaneous membership in both the EAEU and the EU. “When the moment of inevitable choice comes, we will make the corresponding decision,” Pashinyan said.

● Armenia ranks among the top five countries with the highest use of ChatGPT. By this measure, Armenia is fifth in the world per capita, and first in the South Caucasus. About 7.9% of the population uses ChatGPT weekly.

● Yerevan ranked 257th in the global cost of living index for the first half of 2025, compiled by the international database Numbeo. Tbilisi ranked 316th, Baku 340th, Istanbul 258th, and Moscow 230th. The lower the number, the higher the cost of living. According to Numbeo, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Tbilisi is $713, while a three-bedroom costs $1,376. In Yerevan, the average rent for the same apartments is $748 and $1,256, respectively; in Baku, $478 and $964.

● President Ilham Aliyev spoke at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. “Azerbaijan is one of the transport and logistics hubs of Eurasia and intends to increase the capacity of its international seaport from 15 to 25 million tons per year. The Middle Corridor is a reliable and safe route connecting China and Central Asia with Europe through Azerbaijan. Since 2022, the volume of cargo traffic along the Middle Corridor through Azerbaijan has increased by almost 90 percent. The time required for cargo transit has been significantly reduced. Recently reached agreements on connecting the main part of Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan autonomy (through the territory of Armenia) will help expand transit opportunities for international shipments. I am confident that the Zangezur Corridor will soon become another important segment of the Middle Corridor, as well as of the North–South Corridor, which will strengthen peace and benefit all of Azerbaijan’s near and distant neighbors,” said Ilham Aliyev.

More than 20 leaders are participating in the SCO summit. China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin told reporters this was the largest forum in the organization’s history.

● “We do not accept the wording used by the President of Azerbaijan – it does not correspond to the logic we agreed upon in Washington,” said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in response to Aliyev’s speech. “The route that Azerbaijan and Turkey call the ‘Zangezur Corridor’ is a road that would connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia’s Syunik province. Armenia has long opposed the term ‘corridor’ and calls this communication a ‘road of peace,’” Pashinyan said.

On August 8 in Washington, the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States signed a declaration on the creation of the “Trump Route” (TRIPP) in the region.

● President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit (pictured below). According to the state agency AzerTAc, the leaders noted the positive dynamics achieved during the recent Washington summit and agreed to continue contacts.

● India again opposed granting Azerbaijan full membership in the SCO, local media reported, citing Azerbaijan’s close partnership with Pakistan as the reason.

● President Ilham Aliyev: “India is trying to take revenge on Azerbaijan in international organizations in response to our support for Pakistan. This means nothing to us; for us, brotherly relations come first,” Aliyev said at a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the SCO summit, congratulating Pakistan on its victory over India.

● Pakistan’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Qasim Mohiuddin: “Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies threaten security and peace not only in South Asia but also in the Caucasus. But nothing can destroy the brotherhood of Pakistan and Azerbaijan.”

● Pakistan has decided to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia after consultations with Azerbaijan, local media reported. A joint communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations was signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries on August 31 in Tianjin, China. Pakistan had suspended relations with Armenia after the start of the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and for many years regarded Armenia as an aggressor state.

● First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and her daughter Arzu Aliyeva, together with the First Lady of China and the spouses of other heads of state and government attending the SCO summit, took part in a boat trip on the Haihe River.

● The OSCE welcomed the decision to close the Minsk Process and its related structures following a joint appeal by Azerbaijan and Armenia during their meeting in Washington with Donald Trump on August 8. The OSCE Minsk Group had been dealing with the settlement of the Karabakh conflict since the early 1990s, co-chaired by the United States, France, and Russia. The technical closure process, including the transfer of assets and equipment, must be completed no later than December 1.

● “All decisions previously adopted within the OSCE concerning the former Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict lose force and are no longer applicable,” said Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

● “The liquidation of the Minsk Process and related OSCE structures means recognition that the conflict has been settled within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. It also confirms the collapse of a diplomatic model that tried to bypass the norms of international law and opens the way to a just and lasting peace in the region,” said Gaya Mammadov, head of Azerbaijan’s delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

● “The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan lies at the very center of the global infrastructure route between Europe and Asia and will become an important logistics hub. Opening roads and establishing cooperation is vital for the well-being of the South Caucasus. An important stage has begun, opening new opportunities for full normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” said Magdalena Grono, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, commenting on her visit to Nakhchivan. She said that the renewed railway infrastructure opens broad prospects for tourism development in the region. “This is only the beginning of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the launch of this process so soon after the Washington meeting is commendable. The EU is ready to contribute to this project,” Grono said. She added that during her visit, cooperation opportunities with the EU were also discussed in agriculture, construction, and other sectors. “It would be wonderful if Europeans could see the incredible beauty of Nakhchivan,” she added.

● Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev and Supreme Court Chairman Inam Karimov are visiting Turkey.

● Another humanitarian aid convoy from Azerbaijan has arrived in Ukraine. About 20 trucks delivered energy equipment needed to restore damaged infrastructure. The Azerbaijani embassy said the aid was sent in accordance with an order from President Ilham Aliyev, with the value of this convoy alone amounting to $2 million. In total, since the beginning of the war, Azerbaijan’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine has reached $44 million. By order of the president, humanitarian assistance to Ukraine will continue.

● The trial of a group of former leaders of the former unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) continues. They are accused of war crimes, terrorism, attempted overthrow of state power, and other serious crimes. According to AzerTAc, the testimonies of several defendants were heard and related documents were examined.

• Former “speaker of parliament of the unrecognized NKR” (in 2023) David Ishkhanyan said that he fought against the Azerbaijani army from September 1992. He commanded a battalion that directly participated in the occupation of the Khojavend, Agdere, Kalbajar, and Aghdam districts. According to him, all weapons and ammunition came from Armenia.

• Levon Mnatsakanyan, from 2007–2012, was “chief of staff of the NKR Defense Army.” Then until mid-2015, he lived in Yerevan and was deputy chief of staff of the Armenian armed forces. In 2019–2020, he was “chief of police of the NKR,” after which he retired. He also stated that the financing and arming of the so-called “Defense Army” was carried out by the Armenian general staff from its budget.

• David Manukyan, who worked in paramilitary structures of the unrecognized NKR, said that during the first Karabakh war in the early 1990s, military operations were led by Samvel Babayan, “minister of defense of the NKR,” and Armenian Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsyan personally. Weapons, ammunition, and mines were supplied from Armenia, and the mining of Azerbaijani territories was carried out by the “NKR Defense Army command.” However, Babayan claims that he does not know where the minefield maps are kept. He also said that ethnic Armenians from Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq were resettled in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The trial will continue on September 4.

● New statistics on the popularity of social media platforms in Azerbaijan:

• • Instagram’s share grew to 42.7% of the market in August (from 34.01% in July and 25.49% a year ago).
• • Facebook’s share fell to 30.76% (31.73% in July and 43.8% a year ago).
• • YouTube declined to 10.27% of the market in August (15.31% in July and 8.07% a year ago).
• • X grew to 7.2% in August (7.1% in July and 5.9% a year ago).
• • Pinterest rounded out the top five with 6.15% (7.06% in July and 12.43% a year ago).
• 

● President Mikheil Kavelashvili of Georgian Dream addressed an open letter to U.S. President Donald Trump. He wrote that “the U.S. administration is not paying proper attention to Georgia, which, against the background of the full convergence of values between the governments, causes surprise among the Georgian public.” Read more here

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of Georgian Dream expressed his “full support for the pathos of the letter.” He said: “If the ‘deep state’ does not gain strength, nothing will prevent the resumption of relations between Georgia and the United States,” while also voicing his “surprise at Donald Trump’s passivity.”

● Irakli Kobakhidze also addressed the European Union, saying that the ruling Georgian Dream party is “ready to fulfill any EU requirements, as long as they are reasonable.” He stressed that the EU’s conditions for Georgia as a candidate country have been fully met. “They must justify to us that the requirements are reasonable, and of course, we will fulfill them. But they have not explained why they demand the repeal of the Law on Values (banning LGBT propaganda) or the Law on Transparency of Funding (the ‘foreign agents’ law). They cannot justify why a lack of transparency in funding is good, or why it is good for a same-sex couple to adopt a minor child,” Kobakhidze said. He added that he is ready to travel to Brussels if the EU shows readiness for open dialogue, but for now, “they refuse communication.”

In July, the EU sent the authorities a list of demands, including repealing Georgia’s “foreign agents” law and the law banning LGBT propaganda. If the conditions are not met, the EU threatened to suspend Georgia’s visa-free regime. The EU set August 31, 2025, as the deadline for compliance.

● The Prosecutor’s Office summoned the heads of several NGOs as witnesses. The case concerns the freezing of bank accounts of 12 legal entities — foundations and NGOs — which “restricted further misuse of funds.” Read more here

● Today the verdict will be announced for eight participants of the pro-European protests, who are accused of organizing and taking part in group violence.

● The trial of several other individuals arrested during the pro-European protests is also nearing completion. Among them are Russian citizens Anastasia Zinovkina (pictured), Artem Gribul, and Anton Chechin. All three were arrested on drug possession charges and face between 8 and 20 years in prison or a life sentence.

● Over the past six months, Georgia has seen significantly more road accidents than in the same period last year: a total of 2,860 incidents, in which 216 people were killed and 3,860 injured — an increase of about 20%. The data was published by the “Georgian Alliance for Safe Roads.”

● Police in Kutaisi arrested a woman who beat her two-year-old granddaughter live on TikTok. She faces between one and three years in prison for child abuse.

● In July–August, the number of coronavirus cases increased in Georgia. It is an Omicron subvariant, which is not characterized by severe illness and mainly causes mild respiratory symptoms.

● Amendments have been made to the rules for obtaining residence permits for foreign IT specialists. In particular, they will now be eligible for residency if their annual income from professional activity amounts to at least $25,000 (in lari equivalent).

● The President of Azerbaijan is taking part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting, which begins today in Tianjin, China. Among the main events of the forum is the presentation of two new major structures: the Universal Center for Combating Security Challenges and Threats, and the SCO Center for Countering Drugs. A number of documents are expected to be signed, including the SCO Development Strategy until 2035.

China has timed the forum to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance against Japanese aggression and World War II.

● During a personal meeting with Ilham Aliyev in Tianjin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed support for Azerbaijan’s accession to the SCO. “China is ready to closely cooperate with Azerbaijan on a multilateral basis to protect the common interests of the Global South and to contribute to building a community with a shared future for humanity,” Xi Jinping said.

Currently, Azerbaijan has the status of a dialogue partner in the SCO, but has applied for observer status. In April, Azerbaijan and China signed an agreement in Beijing on a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” Read more here

● Following their personal meeting in Tianjin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

● The presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, held a bilateral meeting in Tianjin.

● Russian President Vladimir Putin met one-on-one with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the SCO summit. Initially, this meeting was not listed on the schedule reported to journalists by presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. The state news agency TASS quoted Putin as saying at the meeting: “I am glad to have the opportunity to talk with him, as there are many issues to discuss, both bilateral and regional.” TASS also reported Pashinyan’s words: “I greatly value the partnership that has developed between us. […] I am glad about our personal dialogue, and, of course, the very active dialogue between our brotherly countries.”

● During his visit to China, Ilham Aliyev held a series of meetings with heads of local corporations involved in major international projects with Azerbaijan, including the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor.
According to the state agency AzerTac, these included:

• • CCCC (China Communications Construction Company) – to participate in the second phase of construction of the Baku International Sea Port.
• • Sichuan Sunsync Photovoltaic Technology Co. – creating a solar panel production facility in the Alat Free Economic Zone in Azerbaijan, with most of the output planned for export to global markets.
• • China Electronics Technology Group Corporation – planned cooperation in the development of the digital economy and cybersecurity.
• • Energy Engineering Corporation Limited (Energy China) – a close business partner of SOCAR, with plans to cooperate on solar and offshore wind power plants in Azerbaijan, wastewater treatment and reuse projects, and joint construction of photovoltaic panels in water reservoirs.

● A memorandum of understanding was signed between Azerbaijan’s Media Development Agency (MEDIA) and China’s Xinhua news agency.

● A group of Azerbaijani women held a symbolic action at the “Broken Chair” monument in central Geneva to draw attention to the fate of nearly 4,000 Azerbaijanis missing during the First and Second Karabakh wars and in incidents over more than 30 years of conflict (pictured below). Elderly women silently sat holding boxes with photos and personal belongings of those still awaited by their families.
“We still hope for the help of international organizations, which have not made sufficient efforts to determine the fate of our loved ones who went missing as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan,” the participants said.

The 12 metres “Broken Chair” monument was installed in front of the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva in 1993. Initially, it was dedicated to the fight against landmines and cluster bombs — a serious issue also for Azerbaijan, where clearance of large numbers of mines and unexploded ordnance continues in Karabakh and adjacent areas. Over time, the monument has become a symbolic reminder of all civilian victims of armed conflicts.

● More than 100 volunteers took part in a large-scale coastal cleanup in Bilgah on Sunday. About five tons of waste were collected and sent for recycling at the specialized enterprise Temiz Sheher. The event was organized by the IDEA Public Union, led by President Aliyev’s daughter Leyla Aliyeva (Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation). She and her sister Arzu Aliyeva (head of the Baku Media Center) also took part in the work alongside volunteers.

● Dusty winds began Sunday evening in Baku and on the Absheron Peninsula. The concentration of dust in the air exceeded the norm by 1.8–2 times, according to the environmental pollution monitoring group. The winds are expected to continue for two days.

● Armenia and China have established a strategic partnership. The document was signed during Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s working visit to China. During his meeting with the Armenian premier, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that China “unconditionally supports Armenia’s political independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” as well as the Armenian government’s “Crossroads of Peace” project to unblock regional communications.

According to the government press service, Pashinyan stated that this project is aimed at strengthening both regional and interregional stability and integration, and that it could be linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which Armenia officially joined as one of the first countries. The prime minister expressed interest in expanding the presence of Chinese companies in the Armenian market.

● In their joint statement on establishing a strategic partnership, Armenia and China outlined agreements across all areas. In particular, within the framework of political dialogue, both sides pledged to adhere to the principles of peaceful coexistence, respect each other’s chosen path of development “in accordance with national characteristics.” Armenia reaffirmed its support for the “One China” principle, recognizing that there is only one China in the world and that Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory. The two countries also agreed on the “further development of cooperation mechanisms” on security issues, as well as in the fields of economy, trade, investment, and tourism. Another designated area of cooperation was “global and international collaboration.”

● The Armenian prime minister will also participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China, including the SCO+ format. As part of his visit, he will hold bilateral meetings with other attending leaders. A meeting between Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin has already taken place.

Kremlin footage from Tianjin shows that Alexander Lukashenko also tried to speak with the Armenian prime minister, but Pashinyan ignored him and did not shake his hand.

Relations between Yerevan and Minsk, Armenia’s ally in the CSTO military bloc, deteriorated after Lukashenko openly voiced support for Azerbaijan’s “war of liberation” in Baku. In response, the Armenian prime minister decided that neither he nor any other Armenian officials would travel to Belarus as long as Lukashenko remains president. Read more here

● On September 4, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will pay a two-day working visit to Japan. In Tokyo, he will meet with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and attend an event dedicated to Armenia’s National Day within the framework of Expo 2025.

● Russia’s Permanent Representative to the OSCE, Alexander Lukashevich, announced that Russia, taking into account the position of the parties, supports the joint decision of Azerbaijan and Armenia to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group, which was engaged in resolving the Karabakh conflict. Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed on this on August 8 in Washington. According to Lukashevich, if no objections are raised before September 1, the decision will be considered adopted. He added that the final dissolution of the group is scheduled by December 2025. Overall, three institutions are set to be terminated — the Minsk Group, the post of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s Personal Representative, and the High-Level Planning Group.

● The website of the Armenian prime minister has published the texts of memorandums of understanding signed with the United States on August 8. Earlier, the Armenian opposition expressed concern that the authorities had only announced the signing without releasing the documents, suspecting negative provisions for Armenia. During his briefing last week, Pashinyan stated that these are bilateral documents and would be published after obtaining the consent of the other side.

Now all points of the three memorandums are available. They outline details of partnerships with the U.S. in 1) innovations in AI and semiconductors, 2) energy security, and 3) capacity building for the “Crossroads of Peace” project to unblock regional communications. Most local experts consider the signing of these documents a significant breakthrough in bilateral relations, expecting substantial economic benefits for Armenia.

● Following the signing of memorandums of understanding with the U.S., media outlets note an “increase in visits foreshadowing investments.” In particular, last week Pashinyan met with Jared Cohen, President of Global Affairs at Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s leading investment banks. They reportedly discussed opportunities for cooperation and the implementation of investment programs, especially in innovation and technology projects.

● Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan met with Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, at his invitation in Tehran. Meetings were also held with Iran’s president, foreign minister, advisor to the Supreme Leader on foreign relations, deputy for international affairs of the SNSC Secretariat, and the chief of staff of the armed forces. According to official releases, all meetings focused on recent agreements on unblocking regional communications reached with Azerbaijan on August 8 under U.S. mediation. Grigoryan reiterated that the process of unblocking economic infrastructure would be based on the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, inviolability of borders, and reciprocity.

The Iranian president emphasized that recent contacts with Armenian partners, as well as his official visit to Armenia, had dispelled concerns that had arisen in Iran.

● The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Armenia, Daphnée Maréchal, told reporters that at the request of the Azerbaijani authorities, the organization will be forced to close its mission in Baku on September 3. “We will continue to offer our services for any role we can play as a neutral intermediary to help resolve the issue of missing persons. Discussions are still ongoing. We believe new opportunities for work may arise. I think the work carried out in recent years and decades will not be forgotten,” she said.

In Armenia, the closure of the ICRC mission is a particular concern since it was the only organization maintaining contact with Armenians held in Azerbaijani prisons. Read more here

● Law enforcement agencies confirmed media reports about the arrest of a Foreign Ministry employee who had contacts with an Azerbaijani citizen and provided him with information. Factor.am reported that she received money from the Azerbaijani side for passing information. Journalists also reported that the Foreign Ministry employee was “in a romantic relationship with an Azerbaijani citizen” and “did not act alone.”

The Investigative Committee stated that a criminal case had been initiated “on charges of treason committed by a Foreign Ministry employee through espionage, creating conditions for a representative of a foreign state to access state secrets, and assisting in hostile activities.” Arrest was chosen as a preventive measure. At the same time, officials denied reports that other persons, including other Foreign Ministry employees, were involved in the crime. It was clarified that “the individual in question was neither a high-ranking official nor an Armenian consul abroad,” as earlier reported by some media outlets.

● Georgia, which established a “strategic partnership” with China in 2023, was not invited to the military parade scheduled for September 3 in Beijing. The event is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and in World War II. Leaders of 26 countries, including the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, will attend. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which opened today in Tianjin, is also timed to this date. The administration of the Georgian Dream prime minister confirmed that Tbilisi had not received an invitation to the parade.

More than 10,000 troops, over 100 aircraft, and hundreds of ground vehicles will take part in the 70-minute parade. According to CNN, “the show will provide a rare opportunity to witness the rapid progress of Chinese military technology,” including the newest drones and hypersonic weapons.

Here is an analysis of China’s “soft power” in Georgia

● The leaders of China and Armenia reached an agreement on a strategic partnership during their meeting in Tianjin. Chinese President Xi Jinping told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that “China and Armenia must firmly support each other and deepen cooperation in all areas.” In April this year, Azerbaijan and China signed a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” agreement in Beijing.

● French Ambassador to Georgia Sheraz Gasri bid farewell as her term ended. In early August, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Olivier Courtaud as the new ambassador to Georgia.

● In Georgia, speculation continues on whether the long-absent opposition leader of the For Georgia party, former Prime Minister and Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, will return to the country. Responding to journalists’ questions, including reports about Gakharia allegedly receiving residency in Germany, party representative Tamar Kekenadze said: “I can only confirm that Giorgi Gakharia is currently on a working visit to the European Union. When he returns to Georgia, and how and where he will continue his political activity serving the European future of this country – citizens will hear directly from him in the coming days.”

● Opposition United National Movement member Levan Khabeishvili accused the mayor of Chokhatauri of illegal construction at the unique mountain resort of Bakhmaro. He claimed that dozens of new buildings are backed by members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, including the mayor himself. “Bakhmaro is being destroyed with absolute vandalism – this is an openly committed criminal act,” Khabeishvili said.

● Mel Gibson offered Archimandrite Seraphim Bitbunov (Bit-Kharibi), head of Georgia’s Assyrian Christian community, to create the soundtrack for the cult sequel The Passion of the Christ. Bit-Kharibi, one of only two clerics in the world who celebrate the Divine Liturgy in Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ, revealed the offer on Instagram but said he declined without giving reasons.

The original Passion of the Christ (2004), telling the story of the last days of Jesus, remains the highest-grossing independent film in history. The sequel is planned for release in spring 2027 and is expected to be split into two parts.

Father Seraphim is well known worldwide. Pilgrims from across the globe visit his monastery of the “13 Assyrian Fathers” in the village of Kanda near Mtskheta to hear the liturgy and chants in Aramaic – a dead language once spoken by Christ, which the monk has known since childhood. He sings prayers in the ancient Byzantine tradition, using the ison – a sustained low tone accompanying the prayer. Parish children from his church also perform with him. Below, Bit-Kharibi sang at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta for Pope Francis.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 25-29 August, 2025