Aliyev Confirms Secret Meeting in Baku Between German Ex-Politicians and Kremlin Figures

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has confirmed that a meeting involving former German politicians and individuals linked to the Kremlin took place in Baku. The encounter, which occurred on July 12, reportedly used Azerbaijani territory without the knowledge or consent of Aliyev's government.

Aliyev revealed the information during a press conference in Berlin with Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He stated that his government investigated the matter after receiving news from the British newspaper 'The Times.' According to Aliyev, two prominent figures, identified as Ronald Pofalla, former chief of staff to Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Matthias Platzeck, former Minister-President of Brandenburg and ex-chairman of the German-Russian Forum, traveled from Berlin to Baku. Simultaneously, Viktor Zubkov, former Russian Prime Minister and current chairman of Gazprom's board, and Valeri Fadéyev, head of the Russian Presidential Human Rights Council, arrived from Moscow.

Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan did not receive prior information from either Russia or Germany about the meeting. He asserted, "Our territory was used without our knowledge for this meeting." However, he added a conciliatory note, suggesting that "if this meeting can contribute to the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine, we could only celebrate it."

Chancellor Merz, when questioned about the meeting, stated he was unaware of such an event. He reiterated Germany's ongoing efforts to encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in peace negotiations, noting that multiple offers have been presented at the European level without success. Merz emphasized that the responsibility for ending the war lies solely with the Russian government and its president.