Russian President Putin arrives in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, starting his visit

On August 18 local time, Russian President Putin arrived in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, by special plane, starting a two-day state visit to Azerbaijan.

During this visit, Putin and Azerbaijani President Aliyev will hold talks on bilateral relations, international and regional issues, including discussing issues such as further developing bilateral relations between the two countries as strategic partners and allies, as well as current international and regional issues such as the reconciliation of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations. The schedule during the visit includes:

Hold an informal meeting: On August 18, after Putin arrived in Baku, Azerbaijani President Aliyev and his spouse, Azerbaijani First Vice President Aliyeva held an informal meeting with Putin at the presidential palace.

Attend the flower-laying ceremony: On August 19, Putin attended the ceremony of laying flower baskets at the tomb of Aliyev's father, former Azerbaijani president Heydar Aliyev and the "Eternal Flame" monument.

Hold a formal meeting: Subsequently, the leaders of the two countries held a formal meeting at the presidential palace, including extensive talks and consultations.

Signing ceremony and statement: After the meeting, the two sides plan to hold a signing ceremony for joint documents and issue a statement to the media.

Joint visit activities: After the official agenda is completed, the leaders of the two countries will jointly visit the White City and a church in Baku. In addition, Aliyev will also hold a state reception for Putin.

Putin's visit to Azerbaijan this time is on the one hand to seek more support. At present, there are new changes in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Russia's friends among the former Soviet republics are decreasing. Russia needs to win over countries like Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Iran to gain greater strategic buffer space for itself. On the other hand, it is also to send a signal to the outside world, indicating that Russia still firmly controls the situation. Although there are new changes in the Russia-Ukraine war, it is not a major event for Russia. At the same time, Azerbaijan is a country rich in oil resources in the Caspian Sea region and an important energy supplier to the European Union. Strengthening cooperation with Azerbaijan is of great economic and strategic significance to Russia.