Kathrine Frich
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to project unity among former Soviet states has stumbled at a highly symbolic moment.
A key regional partner chose not to appear, leaving questions hanging over Moscow’s influence.
The absence was quickly noticed in the Kremlin, where preparations had already been underway.
Official explanations followed, but the political meaning proved harder to dismiss.
A pointed absence
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declined an invitation to attend the annual informal summit of Commonwealth of Independent States leaders in St. Petersburg, according to reporting by Dialog.ua.
The gathering is traditionally used by Moscow to showcase its leadership role across the post-Soviet space.
Baku cited a “tight work schedule” as the reason for Aliyev’s absence.
The decision, however, was widely interpreted in Azerbaijan and beyond as a deliberate political signal directed at Putin.
The Azerbaijani presidential administration announced the decision, with the information distributed by the state news agency Azertag.
Kremlin officials had earlier said they were expecting Aliyev and were preparing for his visit.
Kremlin damage control
Following the refusal, Moscow moved quickly to soften the message.
Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said the Kremlin understood Aliyev’s decision and again referred to end-of-year scheduling pressures.
Given the broader regional context, analysts quoted by Dialog.ua suggest this explanation has limited credibility.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, several former Soviet republics have increasingly sought to distance themselves from Moscow’s political orbit.
The informal CIS summits are seen as an important stage for Russia to build its alliances even closer. and show the union among former soviet state members. Aliyev’s absence weakens that narrative.
Strained recent history
Aliyev last participated in a CIS meeting in October 2025 in Dushanbe, where he held talks with Putin.
That encounter came shortly after a serious deterioration in bilateral relations.
In December 2024, an Azerbaijani passenger plane was shot down by a Russian air defense system during a response to a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s North Caucasus regions. Thirty-eight people were killed.
Putin later publicly acknowledged Russia’s responsibility and apologized to Aliyev, promising accountability.
According to Dialog.ua, the incident caused lasting damage to Moscow’s standing in the region and continues to shape Baku’s calculations.
Sources: Dialog.ua, Azertag, LA.lv
