On July 26, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, announced that Azerbaijan is prepared to host peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Baku if both parties are interested. He highlighted Baku’s established role as a diplomatic hub, having previously hosted high-level talks involving Türkiye, Israel, Syria, Russia, and NATO.

Hajiyev also sharply criticized the OSCE Minsk Group, stating it should be "consigned to the dustbin of history" for its unsuccessful 30-year diplomatic activity. Regarding the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, he affirmed that military escalation is not on the agenda and that efforts are focused on finalizing an agreement. While the text is "very positive," he noted that unresolved issues remain, such as territorial claims embedded in the Armenian Constitution, which Azerbaijan wants to see renounced.

Commenting on the recent downing of an AZAL passenger plane over Russia, Hajiyev said Azerbaijan expects Russia to take responsibility and ensure justice, acknowledging that the incident has caused increased tension in relations. On the Zangezur corridor project, he stated the decision rests with Armenia, while Azerbaijan focuses on strengthening transport links with Georgia, Iran, and Russia. Finally, Hajiyev called on German companies to increase their activity in the South Caucasus, stating that Germany could play a significant role in the region's economic transformation.