Dushanbe: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a one-on-one meeting with President of Russia Vladimir Putin in Dushanbe.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the meeting focused on addressing the aviation tragedy that occurred in Russian airspace and strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations.

During the meeting, President Putin expressed his apologies and condolences for the aviation tragedy. He provided a detailed account of the investigation, revealing that a Ukrainian drone was present in the airspace at the time, and a technical malfunction in the Russian air defense system contributed to the incident. Putin assured that Russia would offer compensation and a legal assessment of the actions of officials involved. He emphasized the importance of understanding the causes of the tragedy and highlighted the ongoing trade and economic growth between Russia and Azerbaijan, which has seen an impressive increase this year.

President Aliyev expressed gratitude for Putin’s attention to the investigation and oversight of the situation. He acknowledged the successful development of Azerbaijan-Russia relations in various fields, including trade, economics, and humanitarian ties. Aliyev noted the recent Azerbaijani-Russian Intergovernmental Commission meeting, which covered a broad range of topics, indicating the positive trajectory of their bilateral cooperation. Both leaders expressed optimism that the messages conveyed during their meeting would be well-received by their respective societies.