Azerbaijani journalists drew a pointed contrast in how China welcomed President Ilham Aliyev and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Azerbaijan’s outlets publicly derided Russian leader Vladimir Putin, emphasizing what they described as his “vassal” status in relations with China.
In a segment on leaders’ arrivals for the SCO (The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit in China, reporters deliberately showed how differently Beijing received Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev versus Putin.
When the Azerbaijani leader’s plane landed in Tianjin, the scene was striking: an honor guard, red carpets, smiles and senior officials on hand. The president’s wife walked alongside him, and the optics suggested China was welcoming highly valued guests, underscoring the strategic level of ties between Beijing and Baku.
A similar scene unfolded for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—ceremonial and celebratory, emphasizing alliance ties and respect for the Turkish leader.
Putin’s arrival stood in sharp contrast: no honor guard with a band, no warm gestures.
“The visit by the Russian leader looked like a formality without any real emphasis. If Aliyev and Erdogan were welcomed as respected strategic partners, Putin was received more like a burdensome guest to be seen off quickly. The visual contrast is so stark that further comment is unnecessary. Honor and respect—for Baku and Ankara. Indifference and cold formality—for Moscow,” the segment said.
Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan sharply deteriorated after the Kremlin refused to accept responsibility for the crash of an Azerbaijani civilian aircraft that was shot down by Russian air defenses in December 2024.
There was later a raid by Russian security forces in Yekaterinburg targeting people from Azerbaijan, which left two Azerbaijanis dead, and more recently Russian forces began striking Azerbaijani infrastructure on Ukrainian territory.
