President Ilham Aliyev received Ramzan Kadyrov, head of Russia’s Chechen Republic, in Baku. During the meeting, Kadyrov offered condolences over the December 2024 Baku-Grozny plane crash, and the two leaders discussed Karabakh and bilateral ties.
President Ilham Aliyev welcomed Ramzan Kadyrov to Azerbaijan, saying he was confident the visit would be productive despite its short duration. He noted that brotherly relations between the Chechen and Azerbaijani peoples have deep historical roots, and congratulated Kadyrov on the Chechen Republic’s recent development achievements.
Ramzan Kadyrov said ties between Azerbaijan and Chechnya were, for him personally, rooted in the brotherly relationship between President Heydar Aliyev and Chechnya’s first president, Akhmad Kadyrov. He said he had come not as a neighbour but on a visit of brotherhood.
During the talks, Kadyrov offered condolences on behalf of himself and the Chechen people over the December 2024 crash of the Baku-Grozny plane, calling it a “shared grief” for both nations. He said he once again remembered the victims and expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.
The Chechen leader said his people sincerely share the pain felt by the brotherly Azerbaijani people and noted that prayers had been offered for the souls of those who died. He also congratulated the people of Azerbaijan on the settlement of the Karabakh issue and expressed hope that peace in the region would endure.
Kadyrov congratulated Azerbaijani athletes on their results at the judo world championship currently under way in Baku, and said joint sporting events involving Chechnya’s Vladimir Putin Olympic Judo Training Centre would be beneficial.
In response, President Aliyev recalled the role Akhmad Kadyrov and Heydar Aliyev played in bringing the two peoples closer together. He said the Chechen Republic had achieved rapid development under Ramzan Kadyrov’s leadership, with major gains in stability, security and socio-economic growth. The Azerbaijani president said he hoped to welcome his guest in Azerbaijan often in the future.
