Highlights from Putin-Aliyev meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met in Dushanbe. Below are the main points discussed:

• The causes of the AZAL plane crash are partially related to the presence of a Ukrainian drone in the air, says Putin.
• Two missiles launched by Russia’s air defense system did not directly hit the AZAL plane but exploded a few meters away, says Putin.
• The AZAL plane was most likely damaged by shrapnel rather than destructive combat elements, says Putin.
• The aircraft crew was asked to land in Makhachkala but decided to continue to their home airport, says Putin.
• The causes of the crash became clear after a thorough analysis of the incident, says Putin.
• Russia will provide a legal assessment of all officials’ actions related to the AZAL plane crash and will take all necessary measures to provide compensation, says Putin.
• Putin reminded Aliyev that he had apologized for the plane tragedy that occurred in Russian airspace.
• Time is needed to fully resolve the situation surrounding the plane crash.
• Aliyev said he has no doubt that the investigation, personally overseen by Putin, will objectively determine the causes of the plane crash.
• Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have developed successfully this year, says Aliyev.
• Russia will do everything to maintain the dynamics of its relations with Azerbaijan, says Putin.
• The interests of Russia and Azerbaijan coincide in many areas, says Putin.

The Dushanbe talks were the first full-scale meeting between the two leaders in recent months. Putin and Aliyev previously met in September in China at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, but according to Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, there was no substantive discussion at that time.