In Sochi on October 3, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet in bilateral and joint format with Aslan Bzhania, the president of Abkhazia, and Alan Gagloev, the president of South Ossetia. Joining them will be the foreign ministers of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Inal Ardzinba and Akhsar Dzhioev. The details were provided by the press service of Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Telegram.
The discussions are set to cover a wide range of topics tied to the two states’ diplomatic relations, as well as regional and international developments that affect the Caucasus. Delegations will explore concrete steps to strengthen cooperation and align policies on shared concerns.
A central focus will be on coordinating, in real time, the Geneva format talks that address security and stability in Transcaucasia. Official representatives from Abkhazia and South Ossetia will participate alongside Georgia, the Russian Federation, and the United States. Lavrov is also involved in guiding the joint efforts under the umbrella of the international framework that includes roles for the European Union, the United Nations, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
During the visit, Lavrov, Ardzinba, and Dzhioev are expected to sign plans for ongoing consultations between the foreign ministries of the three countries for the years 2024–2025. These documents are designed to streamline communications, align diplomatic calendars, and lay out a cooperative roadmap for policy coordination in the near term.
Earlier, Sergei Shamba, who chairs Abkhazia’s Security Council, indicated that participation in the Russian-led integration mechanisms and in the Union State framework with Belarus is possible. He also noted that any expansion toward formal relations with Minsk should be pursued through a careful, stepwise approach that respects the evolving political context and the interests of all parties involved.
In related remarks, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered congratulations to Abkhazia on its Independence Day, underscoring Moscow’s ongoing partnership with the republic and reiterating a commitment to continued assistance and collaboration in areas of mutual interest. The greeting reflected a broader posture of regional engagement and political dialogue among the involved states and their leaderships, aiming to bolster stability and shared security in the region.
Overall, the upcoming Sochi meetings signal a sustained effort to deepen institutional ties and to align strategic priorities across the Abkhazian and South Ossetian authorities with Moscow’s diplomatic objectives. By advancing high-level conversations, signing new cooperation plans, and keeping channels open for multilateral discussions, the participants appear poised to address both immediate concerns and longer-term avenues for partnership in the Transcaucasus region.