Visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the activitisation of pro-Russian forces in Armenia (late spring 2025)

I. Agenda of Russian-Armenian Relations On May 20, 2025, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Yerevan on a two-day working visit. On May 21, 2025, he held meetings with senior Armenian officials. In the morning, the Russian diplomat met with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, and in the afternoon – with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan…

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Murad Muradov visits London

On 19-20 June 2025, Topchubashov Center`s Deputy Director Murad Muradov visited the United Kingdom to participate in the traditional Alumni Forum of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He took part in the exchange of views with representatives of dozens of countries within the Forum and also held discussions with experts from…

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Topchubashov Center director meets with Danube Institute leadership in Budapest

On 18 June 2025, Topchubashov Center`s Director Rusif Huseynov visited the Budapest-based Danube Institute, where he held a meeting with Executive Director István Kiss to discuss the next steps in bilateral cooperation. The meeting focused on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two institutions in Baku in April 2025. Both sides…

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Rusif Huseynov speaks at Budapest Global Dialogue 2025

On 17 June 2025, Topchubashov Center`s Director Rusif Huseynov joined a panel at Budapest Global Dialogue 2025. In the panel titled “Global Crossroads: the CEE, the Balkans and the Caucasus in the New World Order,” he spoke about nations of the afore-mentioned regions as bridge states—linking diverse civilisations, geopolitical blocs, connectivity models, and economic systems;…

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Rusif Huseynov speaks at 2025 APRI Forum

On 11 June 2025, Topchubashov Center`s Director Rusif Huseynov joined virtually the 2025 APRI Forum organized by the Yerevan-based Applied Policy Research Institute of Armenia (APRI Armenia). As a speaker of the panel named “Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations: Prospects for Progress,” Rusif Huseynov delivered the view from Azerbaijan on prospects for the Armenia-Azerbaijan talks and regional peace. Moderated by…

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Can Pezeshkian’s poetry diplomacy thaw Azerbaijan-Iran tensions?

The echoes of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s historic visit to Baku in April still resonate across the Araz River. Among the many aspects of this visit, what caught the attention of political analysts and region observers alike was Pezeshkian’s unexpected yet symbolic use of “poetry diplomacy.” His recitation of verses from Mahammadhossein Shahriyar’s iconic poem…

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Pakistan’s engagement in Central Asia: foreign policy priorities, challenges, and strategic outlook

Pakistan’s foreign policy continues to evolve in response to shifting regional dynamics, global realignments, and domestic imperatives. A critical dimension of Islamabad’s external engagement is its growing focus on the Central Asian Republics (CARs)—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—whose geopolitical, economic, and strategic relevance has increased markedly since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Pakistan…

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