In a concerted effort to steady the South Caucasus and advance normal relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the leaders of the two nations, President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, agreed to convene in Brussels on May 14. The gathering was confirmed through a report by the Council of the European Union, underscoring the European Union’s ongoing role as a facilitator in regional diplomacy. This plan dovetails with a broader strategy to create predictable channels for dialogue and reduce tensions along disputed fronts. The announcement cited ongoing discussions aimed at stabilizing the border region and managing critical issues through formalized meetings, with Brussels serving as a neutral venue for high-level engagement. The confirmation came from official EU channels and was later echoed by state media outlets. Attribution: EU Council briefing, TASS.
As part of the same process, the two leaders were set to meet again in a three-way format in Brussels on May 14, 2023, signaling continued commitment to direct talk and incremental steps toward normalization. The tripartite framework is intended to involve all relevant parties in structured talks, with aims to build mutual trust and establish a roadmap for peaceful co-existence in areas of disagreement. This ongoing engagement follows months of tentative diplomacy and reflects a deliberate effort to turn verbal commitments into tangible actions on the ground. Attribution: EU Council briefing, TASS.
Earlier reporting from The Financial Times, drawing on unnamed sources, indicated that the Brussels summit would be hosted by Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and would center on Azerbaijan’s decision to position a checkpoint along the Lachin corridor. This corridor has long been a focal point in Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations due to its strategic and humanitarian implications. The media brief suggested that the checkpoint move could shape confidence-building measures, humanitarian access, and the practical mechanics of any ceasefire or corridor management framework. The article noted that the Brussels meeting would mark the first face-to-face encounter between Aliyev and Pashinyan since the Munich talks in February, with prior indications that Moscow could host a future encounter as well, though a fixed date had not been set. Attribution: Financial Times, cited sources.