Day: May 4, 2026

On May 1, bp presented a set of three books on Azerbaijan’s carpet art, proudly sponsored as part of the company’s long‑standing commitment to supporting the country’s rich cultural heritage. The presentation took place at a special event hosted by bp at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum and was timed to coincide with the International Carpet Festival 2026, currently taking place in Baku.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy released a new map on Monday outlining areas of the Strait of Hormuz that it said were under Iranian military control, AzerNEWS reports.

The head of the United States Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, is reportedly concerned that Donald Trump may dismiss him from his position, according to a report by The Guardian citing sources, AzerNEWS reports.

“In September 2023, Azerbaijan put an end to separatism in Garabagh. We ourselves implemented the four UN Security Council resolutions adopted in 1993, which remained on paper for 30 years. Four months after that, PACE imposed sanctions on our delegation,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said during his speech via video link at the 8th European Political Community Summit.

Kaja Kallas will travel to Azerbaijan. She will hold a series of bilateral meetings at political level, including with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov.

On May 4, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev hosted a working dinner in honor of …

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze is attending the eighth European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan on May 4. Georgian Dream Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili and Government Administration Head Levan Zhorzholiani are accompanying him.

The summit brings together about 50 leaders from across the continent. Among them are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Many of them, including the Georgian delegation, arrived in the Armenian capital on Sunday, May 3.

The May 4 summit takes place under the motto “Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe,” as the European Council said, “At a time of profound geopolitical transformation, leaders will discuss how to cooperate more closely and coordinate action to strengthen democratic resilience, advance connectivity and reinforce economic and energy security.” It is held ahead of the first EU-Armenia bilateral summit on May 4-5.

Kobakhidze had also attended previous EPC summits, including in Copenhagen and Tirana. Georgian Dream, however, remains largely isolated from the country’s traditional Western partners following the 2024 contested elections, concerns over democratic backsliding and authoritarian drift, and anti-EU actions.

In Yerevan, the GD prime minister is set to speak at a roundtable discussion focused on connectivity and economic security and take part in the second meeting of the European Coalition Against Drugs (ECAD).

“The summit will be used for bilateral meetings, and in my speech, I will focus on Georgia’s special role in Europe in terms of connectivity. We connect seven countries to the Black Sea and therefore to the West in economic and trade terms, and of course, we will actively discuss this,” Kobakhidze said in a Facebook post, sharing photos from the summit, including what appears to be a brief exchange with French President Emmanuel Macron and a handshake with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Georgian government administration reposted several photos on its website, including what appears to be a screenshot of Kobakhidze shaking hands with Zelenskyy during a group photo of leaders. Pro-government Imedi TV also shared an eight-second clip of Kobakhidze’s exchange with Macron, along with a video of leaders posing for a group photo that also shows Kobakhidze shaking hands with Zelenskyy.

More to follow…

Also Read:

• 21/04/2026 – Kos: EU to Involve Georgia in Connectivity to Extent Tbilisi’s Willing to Engage ‘On Other Areas’

With  @AndrejPlenkovic, we signed Armenia–Croatia Strategic Dialogue, marking landmark development in advancing our bilateral ties.

We stand ready to further elevate 🇦🇲-🇭🇷 cooperation to new level & expand engagement across key areas, including within 🇦🇲-🇪🇺 partnership.

— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) May 4, 2026

Production of key construction materials in Azerbaijan continued to expand in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting broader growth in the country’s non-oil industrial sector, AzerNEWS reports. According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, limestone production for construction purposes reached…