Elena Patyaeva—a friend of Seda Suleymanova, who disappeared three years ago after being forcibly returned from St. Petersburg to Chechnya—was detained in Grozny. On August 23, Patyaeva stood by the monument to journalists who died for freedom of speech, holding a sign that read: "I demand an investigation into the murder of Seda Suleymanova." This was reported by the human rights project "Slovo Zashchite" (Word for the Defense).
The United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan say they have made progress towards lasting peace in the South Caucasus, a year after the leaders of the three countries met at the White House.In a joint statement marking the anniversary of the August 2025 summit in Washington, the three sides said the meeting had "brought an end to decades of conflict" and opened the way to a more prosperous future for the region.
"True peace is never achieved in a single day. The steps taken by Azerbaijan and Armenia towards lasting peace are an example for the world," the statement said.Over the past year, Armenia and Azerbaijan have maintained stability along their border and taken steps towards normalising relations, delimiting their shared border and building mutual trust.The statement also highlighted progress on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a multimodal transport corridor through Armenia that is intended to connect Azerbaijan with regional and international trade routes.
The United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan also backed the construction of a power transmission line along the route.Washington has allocated $201 million to the Trans-Caspian Investment Fund to support private investment in the Middle Corridor, a trade and transport route linking Central Asia with the South Caucasus.The statement said cooperation between the United States and the two South Caucasus countries had also expanded. New agreements have been concluded covering strategic partnerships, energy security, border infrastructure, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and critical minerals.
According to the statement, Azerbaijan has lifted restrictions on the transit of cargo connected with Armenia. As a result, 60,000 tonnes of goods have been transported through Azerbaijani territory to and from Armenia over the past year. Baku has also supplied Yerevan with 20,000 tonnes of petroleum products.
Armenian and Azerbaijani telecommunications operators have signed an agreement aimed at diversifying internet connectivity in the region and strengthening telecommunications infrastructure.The statement also noted that, at the invitation of the United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan had joined the "Board of Peace", an international initiative focused on promoting lasting peace and the reconstruction of Gaza.Washington, Yerevan and Baku reaffirmed their support for the "sovereignty, territorial integrity and jurisdiction" of Armenia and Azerbaijan within their internationally recognised borders.
The joint statement was issued one year after U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House. Following the meeting, the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders signed a joint declaration on peace.Aliyev and Pashinyan later jointly nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to the statement.
The United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan said they intended to build on the progress made over the past year."Promises made — promises kept," the statement quoted Trump as saying.