Azerbaijan Confirms Secret German-Russian Talks Were Held in Baku

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that former German and Russian officials held secret talks in Baku earlier this month to discuss possible ways to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Aliyev said Azerbaijan was not officially informed by either side. Merz denied any German government involvement, while the reported talks raised concerns over unofficial diplomacy without Ukraine at the table.