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

● 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