The recent meeting in Abu Dhabi, contrary to the expectations of the Armenian authorities, was, to put it mildly, unsuccessful. This time, even pro-government media outlets remained silent — likely realizing that it was inappropriate to spread excessive and unrealistic expectations. This was stated by Azerbaijani affairs expert Tatevik Hayrapetyan.
According to her, Pashinyan apparently hoped that his efforts to accommodate Azerbaijan’s demands would be acknowledged — that Erdogan’s mediation would play a role, that Washington would exert some pressure, and that Aliyev would come not with new demands but to formalize what had already been agreed upon. However, reality proved otherwise.
“Aliyev’s behavior once again demonstrated that his political appetite is limitless, and not even international pressure can stop him,” Hayrapetyan noted. “It’s no coincidence that years ago he refused to sign the peace proposal on Nagorno-Karabakh in Kazan, walking away from a nearly finalized agreement. Today, he operates with the same approach — but with even greater confidence. Aliyev understands perfectly well: as long as there are no concrete tools of pressure used against him and international players are merely trying to appease him, he has no reason to make any concessions. All the cards are in his hands.”
According to the expert, the international community continues to ignore the fact that maintaining the image of an enemy is a cornerstone of Aliyev’s regime. “He will not abandon this rhetoric. In fact, since 2020, such propaganda in Azerbaijan has only intensified. Against this backdrop, there is no real process of reconciliation between the peoples. Activists who speak about peace are arrested in Azerbaijan, while international partners are trying — unsuccessfully — to at least secure a ‘piece of paper.'”
“I told Pashinyan during a meeting shortly after November 9, 2020, that a defeated leader is incapable of conducting effective negotiations. This was not a personal attack — it was my clear civic position as a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. The country’s interests cannot be fully represented when the person sitting at the negotiating table has been defeated and lacks public trust,” Hayrapetyan concluded.