French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met in Berlin today to discuss their vision for the future of Europe in light of the recent US presidential election, which Donald Trump claimed victory in. The meeting underlined their commitment to steer Europe towards greater unity, resilience and sovereignty amid evolving global dynamics.

Azerbaijan's railwy system is completing preparations to welcome international guests to COP29 by providing a seamless, environmentally friendly and efficient transit experience. These preparations include training more than 300 employees in customer service, English language and climate knowledge to ensure smooth transit for visitors arriving for the conference. 

Georgia is one of the former Soviet republics that, in theory, could have made a smooth transition to a European-style democratic model. Instead, it plunged into civil war in the early 1990s and enduring political divisions that persist to this day.

On Monday (28 October), Azerbaijan held a meeting in Baku with NATO's Climate and Energy Security Sector representatives from the Innovation, Hybrid Issues and Cybersecurity Division and representatives from NATO member and partner countries to discuss energy security and climate change. 

Since 7 October 2023, when Hamas killed 1,139 innocent civilians in Israel, the Israeli government has been conducting military operations in the Gaza Strip that have taken the lives of 43,552 Palestinians. As the death toll of Palestinians is increasing, the UN General Assembly has asked the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on Israel’s military operations in Palestine. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague issued an advisory opinion on 19th July 2024, stating that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal under International Law. The ICJ also argued that states must not assist via financial, military or political aid to the Israeli government in maintaining its unlawful occupation (para. 273-279). It is important to note that although advisory opinions are not binding on states, they carry great legal weight by clarifying the application of international law and having moral authority. 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev exchanged brief words during a plenary session at the BRICS summit in Kazan. 

On 18 October, the 3+3 regional cooperation platform which hypothetically includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia “plus” three surrounding powers (Türkiye, Iran, and Russia) convened the third meeting at the ministerial level, though again without the participation of Georgia. Hosted by Türkiye in Istanbul, the meeting took place amidst a sensitive security situation in the wider region due to the ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine war, the potential Iran-Israel war, the upcoming fateful parliamentary elections in Georgia, and certainly, the persisting challenges in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.