Pashinyan and Aliyev Meet in Albania: What Was Discussed in Tirana?

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held a critical discussion during the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania. The meeting, taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions and international scrutiny, offered a glimpse into the fragile dynamics shaping the region's future.

A video released by Pashinyan’s office captured the two leaders engaging in a brief but telling conversation in a conference hall lobby. Joined later by their respective foreign ministers, the two sides reportedly focused on the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty that was supposedly finalized in March. However, despite appearances of progress, significant stumbling blocks remain.

Aliyev’s office was notably silent regarding the conversation, in stark contrast to Pashinyan’s proactive messaging. Baku has maintained that the signing of the treaty is contingent upon Yerevan amending its constitution, which Aliyev claims includes territorial claims to Azerbaijan. In an interview with an Azerbaijani journalist, Pashinyan dismissed these allegations, insisting that Armenia has no such claims and labeling Baku’s assertions as a deliberate attempt to mislead the international community.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, however, swiftly responded, accusing Pashinyan of “misleading the international community” and asserting that Armenia’s constitution “poses a direct threat to Azerbaijan’s national security.” The ministry further emphasized that the constitutional change is a “fundamental condition for peace,” emphasizing how deeply entrenched these demands have become in Baku’s negotiating strategy.

While Pashinyan has vowed to put a new constitution to a referendum in 2026, his political opponents have already signaled their intention to block it, arguing that Pashinyan’s conciliatory approach only emboldens Aliyev to demand further concessions. The debate over constitutional amendments not only reveals a political fault line within Armenia but also shows how Aliyev leverages Armenia’s internal divisions to assert greater pressure.

Adding another layer of complexity to the talks, Aliyev has reiterated his demand for a land corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave through southern Armenia. This so-called ‘Zangezur Corridor’ would effectively bisect Armenian territory, a prospect that has alarmed many in Yerevan and across the Armenian diaspora. In January, Aliyev ominously hinted that he would open the corridor “by force” if necessary, raising fears of renewed conflict.

Pashinyan’s working visit to Albania also included a brief, yet symbolically charged, conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The video footage, released by Pashinyan’s office, shows Erdogan facilitating a quick exchange between Pashinyan and Aliyev, showing Turkey’s influential role in shaping regional dynamics.Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held a critical discussion during the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania. The meeting, taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions and international scrutiny, offered a glimpse into the fragile dynamics shaping the region's future.

A video released by Pashinyan’s office captured the two leaders engaging in a brief but telling conversation in a conference hall lobby. Joined later by their respective foreign ministers, the two sides reportedly focused on the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty that was supposedly finalized in March. However, despite appearances of progress, significant stumbling blocks remain.

Aliyev’s office was notably silent regarding the conversation, in stark contrast to Pashinyan’s proactive messaging. Baku has maintained that the signing of the treaty is contingent upon Yerevan amending its constitution, which Aliyev claims includes territorial claims to Azerbaijan. In an interview with an Azerbaijani journalist, Pashinyan dismissed these allegations, insisting that Armenia has no such claims and labeling Baku’s assertions as a deliberate attempt to mislead the international community.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, however, swiftly responded, accusing Pashinyan of “misleading the international community” and asserting that Armenia’s constitution “poses a direct threat to Azerbaijan’s national security.” The ministry further emphasized that the constitutional change is a “fundamental condition for peace,” emphasizing how deeply entrenched these demands have become in Baku’s negotiating strategy.

While Pashinyan has vowed to put a new constitution to a referendum in 2026, his political opponents have already signaled their intention to block it, arguing that Pashinyan’s conciliatory approach only emboldens Aliyev to demand further concessions. The debate over constitutional amendments not only reveals a political fault line within Armenia but also shows how Aliyev leverages Armenia’s internal divisions to assert greater pressure.

Adding another layer of complexity to the talks, Aliyev has reiterated his demand for a land corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave through southern Armenia. This so-called ‘Zangezur Corridor’ would effectively bisect Armenian territory, a prospect that has alarmed many in Yerevan and across the Armenian diaspora. In January, Aliyev ominously hinted that he would open the corridor “by force” if necessary, raising fears of renewed conflict.

Pashinyan’s working visit to Albania also included a brief, yet symbolically charged, conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The video footage, released by Pashinyan’s office, shows Erdogan facilitating a quick exchange between Pashinyan and Aliyev, showing Turkey’s influential role in shaping regional dynamics.