South Caucasus

At the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which was held from Wednesday to Friday (17 - 19  September), Azerbaijan’s Defence Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, led Baku’s delegation and held high-level discussions with his Chinese counterpart on advancing joint military capabilities.

On September 8, 2025, during his address at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the potential revival of the “3+3” format in the South Caucasus while commenting on Russia’s relations with regional countries. He noted that the initiative was initially proposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan and highlighted that it is also supported by Iran, signaling broader regional backing. Lavrov further referenced the trilateral agreement between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia on restoring transport links and welcomed the ongoing process of normalization between Armenia and Turkey.