Azerbaijan and Armenia have begun implementing a peaceful and mutually beneficial economic partnership. Baku has recorded its first import of goods from Armenia. As of March of this year, this figure stood at $960.

On April 15, during a speech at a meeting of the Armenia-EU civil society platform in Yerevan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that his country "will not experience justice and impartiality" because its judicial system "has no organic connection with the highest source of power—the people."

The Foreign Ministries of Russia and Azerbaijan confirmed the agreement reached between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev to resolve the consequences of the crash of the AZAL Embraer 190, including the issue of compensation for the victims. The Russian side officially confirmed the strike on the passenger airliner as a result of "the unintentional action of the air defense system in Russian airspace."

Ali Karimli, Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), offered a critical assessment of the current economic situation in Azerbaijan. Citing official data, he stated that in the first quarter of 2026, economic growth in Georgia was 8.4%, while in Armenia it was 7.4%. In contrast, Azerbaijan's economy showed negative dynamics, contracting by 0.3%.

Samvel Karapetyan, Russian billionaire and leader of the opposition party "Strong Armenia," who is currently under house arrest in Yerevan, has initiated the process of renouncing his Russian and Cypriot citizenships. The goal of this step is to qualify for the June 7 parliamentary elections, for which Armenian law requires only Armenian citizenship.

The Explainer Project suggests that the arrest of investigative journalist Oleg Roldugin of Novaya Gazeta may be linked to his investigation of assets acquired by individuals close to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov following the "nationalization" of the Russian divisions of the major French dairy producer Danone. The publication's source claims that investigators are attempting to formulate charges against the journalist without disclosing the names of individuals associated with Kadyrov, which explains the lack of official information about any charges against Roldugin.

The Georgian opposition has seen the change of government in Hungary as a signal of change, while the ruling party hopes for a continuation of the policies of outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his "pro-Russian" stance.

The South Caucasus has the potential to strengthen regional integration. Farhad Mammadov, coordinator of the Peace Bridge initiative and director of the South Caucasus Studies Center, expressed this opinion after a meeting of civil societies from Azerbaijan and Armenia. He argued for the region's attractiveness from a transport and logistics perspective in the current geopolitical situation.

Dagestan's head, Sergei Melikov, dismissed rumors of his imminent resignation, stating that he is focused on dealing with the aftermath of the emergency and helping the victims. He noted that while he is busy addressing the republic's pressing issues, "passions are running high" in political circles and the media in Dagestan.

The right-wing German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has expelled Chechen native Noah Krieger (real name Murad Dadaev) from its ranks. Members of the party reported this to the publication "Important Stories" and the German investigative project Correctiv. AfD did not disclose the reasons for its decision, but it is likely that the young German politician of Chechen origin was stripped of his party membership due to his extended trip to his homeland.