German Opposition Leader Hosts Azerbaijan's President for Berlin Talks

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz has invited Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev to Berlin for discussions. The invitation followed a phone call between the two politicians on Monday. During their conversation, Merz welcomed recent progress in the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The long-term rivals have been negotiating a treaty to formally end decades of conflict. Merz leads the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Germany's largest opposition party. The planned talks in Berlin underscore Germany's continued diplomatic interest in fostering stability in the South Caucasus region. No specific date for the meeting has been announced. The discussions are expected to cover bilateral relations and the ongoing normalization between Baku and Yerevan.