(MENAFN) Russia acknowledged on Monday that its diplomatic relationship with Azerbaijan has entered a strained phase, marking a rare admission of deteriorating ties between the two nations.

“Sometimes, it happens that difficult periods occur in the relations of the two countries. Now is one of such periods,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said during a press briefing in Moscow.

"We hope that this period will pass," he added, emphasizing that "cooperation between the two countries brings mutual benefit.”

The strain follows Azerbaijan’s cancellation of cultural events in Russia last month, a move made in protest after several Azerbaijani citizens died during a police operation in Yekaterinburg. Authorities in Baku condemned the incident, describing it as involving “targeted and extrajudicial killings and acts of violence against Azerbaijanis based on their ethnicity.”

In a separate matter, Peskov confirmed that Russian authorities are continuing their investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flight in Kazakhstan last December, which claimed the lives of 38 passengers.

He acknowledged Azerbaijan's potential legal action against Russia regarding the crash, stating that Baku has the right to pursue international litigation and that Russia “will wait for official verdicts.”

Peskov also noted the possibility of a high-level meeting between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, suggesting a potential encounter in Beijing during events planned for September to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. “Cannot be ruled out,” he said.

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