Zelensky meets Georgian PM in Yerevan, signs defense deals with Azerbaijan

President Volodymyr Zelensky held his first high-level talks with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze since 2021 on the sidelines of the eighth European Political Community summit in Yerevan on Sunday, signaling a cautious reset in bilateral relations.

The meeting, initiated by Ukraine, included the foreign ministers of both countries. Zelensky and Kobakhidze discussed bilateral relations, European integration, trade, and economic cooperation. After the meeting, Zelensky wrote on X: "There are indeed unresolved issues between our states. It is important to have dialogue at all levels. Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect Georgia, its sovereignty, and its people. We will continue our cooperation going forward."

The diplomatic push in Yerevan followed a surprise visit by Zelensky to Baku, Azerbaijan, on April 25. During that visit, Zelensky and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed six bilateral documents, including agreements on joint military production and defense technology, with a focus on counter-drone systems.

Armenia, which hosted the summit, remains formally tied to the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, but its relations with Moscow have deteriorated sharply in recent years. The South Caucasus was widely regarded as Moscow's "private backyard" before the 2022 invasion, a perception that has eroded as Russia's influence in the region continues to wane.