Aliyev says former Russian and German officials were in Baku for possible meeting over Ukraine

Aliyev says former Russian and German officials in Baku for Ukraine talks Poinews.com – Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev says former Russian and

Aliyev says former Russian and German officials in Baku for Ukraine talks

Poinews.com – Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says former Russian and German officials held confidential discussions in Baku during mid-July regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. The revelation emerged during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday. According to Aliyev, Baku only discovered the diplomatic meeting after it had already concluded.

“Flight records indicate that a confidential gathering took place within our capital,” Aliyev noted. “However, neither Moscow nor Berlin provided us with advance notice.” He emphasized that Azerbaijan’s airspace and facilities were utilized without the country’s prior awareness. Expressing openness to the outcome, the Azerbaijani president stated, “Should this dialogue contribute to concluding the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, we certainly support such efforts.”

Key Figures in the Baku Meeting

Following media coverage of the potential summit, Aliyev directed Azerbaijan’s State Border Service to conduct an inquiry. He later confirmed the accuracy of reports and identified the participants involved in the Baku discussions.

“On July 12, two distinguished personalities arrived in Baku via a direct flight from Berlin,” Aliyev recounted. “One is believed to have been Chancellor Merkel’s chief of staff—Mr. Pofalla and Mr. Platzeck—and they departed for Berlin on July 14.”

Ronald Pofalla held the position of Federal Chancellery head and Minister for Special Affairs under Angela Merkel between 2009 and 2013. Following his government service, he became CEO of Deutsche Bahn’s infrastructure division. Pofalla also served as co-chairman of the Petersburg Dialogue, a semi-official German-Russian forum that Germany paused in 2021 after Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine. He has maintained informal relationships with Russian political leaders since that suspension and has been identified by The Times as a potential unofficial intermediary between Berlin and Moscow.

Matthias Platzeck previously served as Social Democrat Minister-President of Brandenburg and led the Forum on Russo-German Cooperation. He has long been associated with a Germany-Russia rapprochement stance within the SPD party.

Simultaneously, Aliyev noted that former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov and Valery Fadeyev, head of Russia’s Presidential Council for Civil Society, arrived in Baku from Moscow on July 12. “One left on July 13, while the other departed on July 14,” he added.

Viktor Zubkov served as Russia’s prime minister from September 2007 through May 2008 during Vladimir Putin’s presidency. He currently chairs Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled energy corporation. Zubkov shares a longstanding relationship with Putin that extends back to when Putin was mayor of St. Petersburg and Zubkov served as deputy chairman of the city administration’s external relations committee.

Valery Fadeyev has led Russia’s Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights since 2019. This advisory body to Putin has also been utilized in various diplomatic and back-channel contexts. Both Zubkov and Fadeyev are considered members of Putin’s trusted inner circle.

Chancellor Merz Weighs In

During the Berlin press conference, Merz acknowledged that he possessed no information regarding the alleged Baku meeting. Nevertheless, he noted that “for several months, we have been attempting to convince President Putin to begin negotiations.”

According to Merz, the Russian president has declined to engage. “The responsibility for ending this conflict lies entirely with the Russian government and its president,” Merz explained. “Entering into discussions and, if needed, initiating peace talks depends solely on him.” He added that Putin “continues to refuse” to take this step.

“I am deeply grateful to President Aliyev for sharing our perspective on this war, its origins, its progression, and its potential resolution,” Merz concluded.

Azerbaijan’s president reaffirmed his position that “the conflict must cease without delay.” “Our foremost objective is for this war to conclude and for peace to be established throughout the region,” Aliyev declared.