Azerbaijan envoy sees new opportunities in ties with Russia

New areas of development in relations between Baku and Moscow could include mutually beneficial agreements and successful projects ranging from political dialogue to cooperation in various sectors, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Russia Rahman Mustafayev said.

According to Report, he made the remarks in an interview with Lenta.Ru.

"This could be an increase in trade turnover or a new investment project, the establishment of a joint university or progress in addressing the shallowing of the Caspian Sea, reciprocal culture days or an increase in tourist flows, as well as more active dialogue between civil societies, youth organizations and think tanks," he said.

Mustafayev also highlighted the teaching of the Azerbaijani language at Russian educational institutions and the opening of schools with an ethnocultural component in regions where Azerbaijanis live in compact communities.

"Relevant instructions were included in the protocol of the April meeting of the interparliamentary commission. All of these are potential growth areas in our relations," the ambassador said.

Speaking about the intensification of bilateral cooperation in 2026, Mustafayev said one indicator of the state of relations was the number of high-level visits.

According to him, 30 bilateral visits took place in the first seven months of this year, compared with 66 in 2024, which he described as the most successful year, and 20 in 2025.

"If we speak about specific examples, I would first of all mention regular dialogue at the highest and senior levels. The presidents of our countries have spoken by phone twice. Contacts are also maintained between the heads of government and the deputy prime ministers who co-chair the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation," he said.

Mustafayev added that interregional cooperation had also intensified, with business missions from the Ryazan Region, Altai Territory, Moscow and Voronezh Region planned to visit Azerbaijan by the end of the year.

He said the republics of Karelia, Tatarstan and Dagestan, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Astrakhan and Irkutsk regions, and other Russian regions had shown strong interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan.

The ambassador also noted a revival in cultural and humanitarian cooperation. More than 30 events, including concerts, theater performances, academic music programs, cultural and educational initiatives and commemorative events, have been held or are planned in Azerbaijan between March 2026 and January 2027.

"Finally, a decision was recently made to resume direct AZAL flights between Baku and three Russian cities," Mustafayev said.