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Akbar Novruz

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Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has called for the closure of the Russian House in Baku due to its lack of legal registration, Rossotrudnichestvo head Yevgeny Primakov said on Russian television, Azernews reports.

He added that Russia’s Foreign Ministry is working to resolve the issue.

According to Primakov, the Russian House must vacate its current premises within a month and a half, as the owner plans to sell the property urgently.

Talks on securing a new location are ongoing, but the owner of an alternative site has put discussions on hold for now, he noted.

****15:45

Azerbaijan has officially notified Russia through diplomatic channels of the termination of activities of Rossotrudnichestvo, the federal agency responsible for promoting Russian interests abroad, on Azerbaijani territory. This move follows a similar action taken earlier with regard to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Azernews reports.

Azerbaijan's decision reflects a growing stance of independence and self-reliance, with officials stating that Azerbaijan no longer requires external assistance, particularly when provided through non-transparent mechanisms or organizations with questionable affiliations. The statement further emphasized that Azerbaijan itself has become a donor nation and no longer needs external aid.

The suspension of cooperation with USAID was announced by Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on January 16, 2025, during a joint press conference with Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili. Bayramov explained that the Azerbaijani government had decided not to renew the framework agreement signed in 2000, which governed USAID's operations in the country. This agreement had expired in February 2023.

Bayramov further clarified that an audit of USAID's activities revealed that the agency had increasingly focused on advancing U.S. interests rather than addressing Azerbaijan's needs. The review also concluded that USAID's activities had become misaligned with Azerbaijan's national priorities, with U.S. efforts often attempting to impose their own terms on Azerbaijan. Bayramov stated that, based on these findings, Azerbaijan made the decision not to extend the agreement after June 1, 2024.