Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has visited Azerbaijan. During a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Kadyrov described Azerbaijan as a brotherly country, again expressed condolences over the crash of the Baku–Grozny passenger plane in December 2024, and congratulated Azerbaijan on “resolving the Karabakh issue”. Aliyev, in turn, praised Chechnya’s achievements in maintaining security and promoting socio-economic development.
“Azerbaijan and the Chechen Republic have always had much in common. For me personally, this is about the brotherly relationship between Azerbaijan’s President Heydar Aliyev and the first President of the Chechen Republic of Russia, Akhmad Kadyrov — may Allah have mercy on them,” Kadyrov said.
According to him, both politicians stood for peace, stability and good-neighbourly relations.
“That is why my visit here is a visit to brothers, not neighbours,” the Chechen leader stressed.
Kadyrov recalled the tragedy involving the passenger plane travelling from Baku to Grozny that crashed in December 2024.
“Once again, on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire Chechen people, I would like to express my deepest condolences over the crash of the Baku–Grozny plane in December 2024. This is a shared tragedy,” he said.
“We sincerely share in the grief of the brotherly Azerbaijani people and pray for the souls of all those who died,” Kadyrov added.
The Chechen leader also addressed the Karabakh issue.
“Dear Ilham Heydarovich, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate your people on resolving the Karabakh issue. I am confident that there will always be peace and stability in the region,” Kadyrov said.
He congratulated Azerbaijani athletes on their successful performance at the World Judo Championships taking place in Baku and spoke about the Vladimir Putin Olympic Training Centre, which specialises in the sport.
“I am confident that joint sporting events would be beneficial,” he added.
In his response, Aliyev also emphasised the historical ties between the Azerbaijani and Chechen peoples and highlighted the role of Heydar Aliyev and Akhmad Kadyrov in strengthening relations.
“You rightly noted that our fathers laid the foundations of modern relations between our peoples, although, as I said, Chechens and Azerbaijanis have always lived in friendship and harmony for centuries and supported one another,” the Azerbaijani president said.
According to Aliyev, Heydar Aliyev and Akhmad Kadyrov played a key role in bringing the two peoples closer together.
“But our great leaders played the leading role in bringing our peoples even closer together at the current stage of development. The way Akhmad-Hadji Kadyrov is honoured in Chechnya and Heydar Aliyev in Azerbaijan also demonstrates our peoples’ commitment to their traditions and way of life, as well as their respect for the memory of those who laid the foundations of modern development,” Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijani leader praised Chechnya’s progress under Ramzan Kadyrov.
“I observe and see, and I am briefed on how rapidly the Chechen Republic is developing under your leadership. This genuinely makes us happy. You have achieved very significant success in strengthening stability and security and promoting economic and social development,” Aliyev said.
He noted that Kadyrov had visited Azerbaijan before and expressed hope that the Chechen leader would continue to visit the republic.
“Azerbaijan is a close country to you, I know. And I am confident that we will continue to see you in Azerbaijan often in the future,” the president added.
After the meeting, Aliyev and Kadyrov had lunch together. The Azerbaijani president then got behind the wheel himself and drove his guest to Baku White City, a residential district built on the site of a former industrial zone.
Kadyrov was accompanied by a delegation that included his sons, who hold official positions: Akhmat Kadyrov, deputy prime minister and sports minister, and Adam Kadyrov, secretary of Chechnya’s Security Council and head of his father’s security service.
Ramzan Kadyrov’s visit comes amid periodic reports in Russian and international media about his health. Observers suggest that one of the aims of the trip is to counter those reports and demonstrate that the Chechen leader remains fit to carry out his duties.
