Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met briefly on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania, on Friday, discussing progress on a long-awaited peace treaty.
A short video released by Pashinyan’s office showed the two leaders speaking privately before being joined by their foreign ministers and aides. According to the Armenian government, the discussion centered on the near-finalized peace agreement, which the sides had largely agreed on in March.
“The parties discussed the current situation and emphasized the importance of continuing the process towards its signing,” the statement said.
Azerbaijan’s government has yet to comment on the meeting. Baku has repeatedly stated that it will not sign any treaty until Armenia changes its constitution, which it claims contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
Pashinyan rejected that claim in an interview with an Azerbaijani journalist on Thursday, insisting Armenia has no such ambitions. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry responded by accusing him of trying to “mislead the international community,” calling Armenia’s constitution a direct threat to Azerbaijani national security. The ministry reiterated that constitutional change remains a “fundamental condition” for peace.
Although Pashinyan has opposed making it a precondition, he has promised to pursue constitutional reform via a national referendum in 2026. His opponents, however, have pledged to block such a change, arguing that Pashinyan’s concessions only embolden Baku to press for more.
Among Azerbaijan’s additional demands is the creation of a land corridor to its Nakhichevan exclave through southern Armenia. Aliyev reignited tensions in January by threatening to open the route by force.
