Azerbaijan Hosted Secret Russian-German Talks, President Aliyev Says

July 21, 2026 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a joint press conference. president.az Russian and German officials met for secret talks in Azerbaijan earlier this month, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told reporters on Tuesday, though he did not detail what was discussed during the meeting. “Our territory was used for such a meeting without our knowledge… Flight data allows me to state that a secret meeting did take place in Baku,” Aliyev said during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz said he was unaware of the meeting. According to the German tabloid Bild, Azerbaijan’s border services recorded former minister president of Brandenburg Matthias Platzeck and former chief of staff of the German chancellery Ronald Pofalla arriving in the South Caucasus country on July 12. Russia’s former prime minister and current Gazprom board chairman Viktor Zubkov and current presidential human rights chief Valery Fadeyev reportedly arrived in Azerbaijan shortly after. Kommersant reported that Aliyev confirmed their visit to the country. German and British media first reported on the Russian-German meeting last week. The “core group” of emissaries has had at least four meetings in Baku and Abu Dhabi since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to those reports. “If this meeting can help end the war between Russia and Ukraine, we can only welcome it,” Aliyev told reporters. In June, German media reported that Merz’s office was quietly laying the groundwork for talks with Russian officials after consulting with France and Britain. The British, French and German ambassadors met with senior officials at Russia’s Foreign Ministry last month. While European leaders have spent weeks floating the possibility of direct talks with Russia, the Kremlin has dismissed the idea of the European Union as a possible mediator in Ukraine peace negotiations. Read more about: Germany , Azerbaijan Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Summons German Ambassador, Accuses Berlin of Supporting Ukrainian Attacks The Russian Foreign Ministry also criticized Germany's stance toward third countries' relations with Russia, including Russia-China ties. 1 Min read Kazakhstan to Reroute German Oil Exports Following Russian Pipeline Suspension Kazakhstan’s energy ministry said crude will now move through the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga and a joint Russian-Kazakh oil pipeline. 1 Min read Armenia, Azerbaijan Trade Accusations Over Karabakh Ceasefire The two sides agreed on a truce, but it took only minutes after the deadline for their forces to claim new attacks. Lavrov: Moscow Has Proof That Kiev Behind 'Sabotage' in Crimea Moscow has claimed that it possesses proof that the Ukrainian government planned sabotage operations in Crimea. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov...