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On 18 June 2026, the regular meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Azerbaijan took place in Riga. The consultations were led by the Under-Secretary of State and Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ivars Lasis, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Fariz Rzayev.
The officials discussed the momentum in bilateral relations, emphasising the active political dialogue and opportunities for expanding the legal framework for bilateral relations. The parties highlighted, in particular, the agreements reached during President Edgars Rinkēvičs’ official visit to Azerbaijan on 21–23 April 2026 on strengthening and expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, agriculture, and information and communication technologies.
The parties discussed the progress of the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process. Ivars Lasis welcomed the positive momentum, including the expanding dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, and expressed hope that these efforts would soon culminate in the signing of a peace treaty. Both parties noted the importance of transport infrastructure projects in the South Caucasus in strengthening connectivity between the EU and Asia and fostering the region’s resilience and development.
The officials reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and the importance of achieving a just and lasting peace. Ivars Lasis emphasised the need to maintain pressure on Russia, including through strengthening of sanctions policy. The parties also discussed the situation in the Middle East and its broader impact on the South Caucasus region.
During the talks, Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the European Union was also discussed, and Latvia reaffirmed its support for strengthening cooperation between the two sides. Ivars Lasis outlined Latvia’s priorities during its term as an elected non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2026–2027.