On December 28, 2024, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. The discussion focused on the tragic crash of a passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25.
The conversation followed a similar dialogue earlier in the day between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who expressed deep concern over the incident. Both ministers reiterated the commitment of their respective presidents to conducting a thorough and transparent investigation into the tragedy. They offered heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to the injured passengers.
The ministers also stressed the importance of identifying the causes of the crash and implementing immediate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. They agreed that the issue should be addressed comprehensively, taking into account all relevant factors.
In addition to discussing the crash, Minister Lavrov and Minister Bayramov touched upon upcoming high-level meetings between Russia and Azerbaijan. They emphasized the continued importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation and maintaining strong diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The crash near Aktau has deeply affected both nations, and the ministers’ discussions reflect their shared priority to resolve the matter with due diligence while maintaining their longstanding strategic partnership.