BAKU (Realist English). In the first four months of 2026, Russia increased its vodka exports to Azerbaijan by a record 42% in physical volume and 55% in value. At the same time, tons of Russian grain and fertilizers have begun transiting through Azerbaijani territory to Armenia – the first shipments after Baku lifted its ban.
Azerbaijan Airlines has resumed seasonal flights from Ganja to St. Petersburg. And on June 1, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a video address that he intended to normalize relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, calling this the key to a “state of a new quality”.
Alcohol, Grain and Fertilizers: Growth in Bilateral Trade
Russia continues to increase its alcoholic beverage exports to Azerbaijan. According to the federal center “Agroexport”, in January–April 2026, vodka exports to the republic exceeded 900 tons worth more than $2.2 million. In physical terms, growth amounted to 42%; in value terms, 55%. This is the highest figure for the first four months of a calendar year in the last decade.
At the same time, large batches of Russian agricultural products are being shipped in transit through Azerbaijani territory to Armenia. On May 6, 2026, four wagons carrying 275 tons of Russian grain and four wagons carrying 271 tons of fertilizers departed from Baku’s Balajary station. On May 15, a further shipment followed – 14 wagons carrying 977 tons of wheat.
Since Azerbaijan lifted its ban on the transit of goods to Armenia through its territory, a total of more than 27,000 tons of grain, over 4,000 tons of fertilizers, 133 tons of aluminum and 68 tons of buckwheat have already been delivered from Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, commenting on the situation, stressed that the West is trying to “bring Armenia under its thumb” and warned that Yerevan risks losing all its privileges within the EAEU.
Air Service: AZAL Returns to St. Petersburg
On May 30, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) resumed seasonal flights from Ganja to St. Petersburg. Flights will operate once a week on Saturdays. The last time this route was operated was in late summer 2025. The resumption is timed to coincide with the start of the summer tourist season. The first flight departed from Ganja at 16:20 local time (15:20 Moscow time).
Pashinyan: Normalization of Relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan is Armenia’s Goal
On June 1, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan published a video address in which he stated the republic’s desire to establish relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan.
“I am convinced that we will achieve the goal of normalizing relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, which means that a balanced and counterbalancing foreign policy will achieve its goal, creating new opportunities for Armenia in building a state of a new quality,” Pashinyan said.
According to him, the absence of relations with Turkey in itself testifies to an asymmetry in the country’s foreign policy balance. “If we have no relations with Turkey, it means that this cup is empty, it means that some relations are disproportionate and unbalanced,” the prime minister noted. To restore balance, he stressed, Armenia needs to maintain relations not only with Turkey and Azerbaijan, but with all countries of the world.
He also said that Yerevan’s relations with Moscow are currently in a stage of transformation, and called this a positive moment that will lead to the establishment of “new open relations”.
At the same time, according to the prime minister, Armenia attaches great importance to the further development of the “3+3” format (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia – Russia, Iran, Turkey) for the practical implementation of regionalization.
“Russia’s participation in this format is also important for the constructive transformation of relations between Yerevan and Moscow,” he said.
Peace Talks: Stalemate and Ultimatums
Despite the loud statements, the negotiation process between Baku and Yerevan has effectively stalled. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry openly acknowledged that “no progress has yet been made in the settlement.”
On May 12, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that there were currently no negotiations on signing a peace agreement. Although the sides had previously initialled the text of a peace treaty, this does not guarantee its signing in the near future.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that after the signing of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace agreement, Ankara would quickly normalize relations with Yerevan. However, he made this process dependent on the fulfillment of Baku’s demands.
On May 23, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that Baku is ready to sign a peace treaty with Yerevan immediately after territorial claims against Azerbaijan are removed from the Armenian constitution.
