Baku, Sept. 3, 2025 — Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan greeted each other with a handshake on Wednesday during commemorations in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The encounter took place on Tiananmen Square, where China staged a massive military parade featuring marching columns, heavy equipment and a flyover by combat aircraft. According to Chinese media and Reuters, more than 50,000 spectators and over 20 heads of state attended the event.
Among the leaders present were North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, as well as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Although Putin and Aliyev did not hold formal talks, their handshake came against the backdrop of mounting tensions between Moscow and Baku. Aliyev recently described Azerbaijan’s incorporation into the Soviet Union as an “occupation,” and the Kremlin has bristled at Baku’s closer ties with Western partners.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, held in Tianjin just days earlier, offered another opportunity for a meeting, but no bilateral talks were reported. Aliyev last visited Moscow in October 2024. He had been expected at Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations this year but cancelled his trip.
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