Over the past year, relations with Russia have experienced overall tension following the downing of an aircraft belonging to AZAL. Despite this, dialogue and mutual contacts between the two countries have continued.

Axar.az reports Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov made the remarks at a year-end press conference.

“The meeting between the two presidents in Dushanbe on October 9, statements made by the Russian side, the acknowledgment that the aircraft was shot down by the Russian Armed Forces, and the apology offered were significant factors in normalizing relations,” the minister said.