Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, seeking to build momentum for deeper economic, trade and energy cooperation between the longtime rivals.

According to the Azerbaijani presidency, the two leaders agreed to continue direct bilateral engagement to advance the normalization of relations and strengthen regional connectivity.

The sides also discussed exports of Azerbaijani petroleum products to Armenia, shipments of grain and other goods through Azerbaijan, as well as steps toward implementing the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).

Aliyev and Pashinyan also noted the important role of their respective state commissions on the delimitation of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border and emphasized the need to continue their work in line with agreements reached between the two countries.

On Aug. 8, 2025, Aliyev and Pashinyan initialed an agreement and, together with US President Donald Trump, signed a joint declaration at a White House summit aimed at ending decades of conflict, with commitments to cease hostilities, reopen transport routes and normalize relations.

The two South Caucasus neighbors have fought two major wars over the Karabakh region in Azerbaijan since the late 1980s.