President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday received Elina Valtonen, Finland’s Foreign Minister and current OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, for talks in Baku focusing on regional peace, cooperation, and the future of the OSCE’s engagement in the South Caucasus.
Valtonen conveyed greetings from Finnish President Alexander Stubb, to which Aliyev responded with his own regards. Both sides recalled earlier high-level contacts between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Finland, as well as Finland’s participation in COP29 in Baku.
Congratulating Aliyev on the progress achieved in the Washington talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Valtonen said the agreements were crucial for restoring peace and stability across the OSCE area. She announced that, following requests from both Baku and Yerevan, the OSCE Minsk Process and its affiliated structures will be formally closed by December 1, 2025.
Aliyev noted that the Washington-brokered agreements, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump, had created conditions for advancing the peace agenda and regional cooperation. He also highlighted the importance of the TRIPP project, to which Armenia committed in Washington, calling it beneficial for the entire region.
Both sides discussed Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the OSCE and the prospects for bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Finland.
Later, Valtonen shared details of her visit on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Good discussions with @presidentaz and Foreign Minister @Bayramov_Jeyhun in Baku today. I congratulate you on agreements towards peace and normalization of relations with Armenia. The OSCE stands ready to support the implementation of the peace treaty and confidence-building measures. My meeting with representatives of civil society and think tanks of Azerbaijan will be scheduled for next week. I look forward to hearing their valuable insights on working to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Good discussions with @presidentaz and Foreign Minister @Bayramov_Jeyhun in Baku today.
I congratulate you on agreements towards peace and normalization of relations with Armenia. The OSCE stands ready to support the implementation of the peace treaty and confidence-building… pic.twitter.com/M80rLnJNKt
— Elina Valtonen (@elinavaltonen) October 15, 2025
The Finnish minister added that she plans to meet Azerbaijani civil-society and policy-research representatives next week to discuss further cooperation on human rights and regional stability.
