Mirziyoyev meets Aliyev – Midweek

The pain of the oppressed Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg is being answered with retaliatory measures against Russians in Baku. However, Azerbaijan has not lost its sense of humor. Amid these developments, official Baku has once again demanded compensation from Russia for last year’s plane crash.

On July 2, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Azerbaijan, where he was received with great ceremony by Ilham Aliyev. During the visit, agreements worth billions of dollars were signed.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has halted military aid to Ukraine, prompting U.S. lawmakers to demand an explanation for the decision.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is reportedly on the verge of shutting down. The U.S. has already terminated all of the agency’s projects. It is being warned that this decision could cost millions of lives in the coming years.

Another day of mourning has been declared in Gaza. Despite Trump’s earlier statement that Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, the Jewish state is continuing its assault on the sector, allegedly aiming to carry out as many attacks as possible before the truce begins.

These are the key stories in QALAMPIR.UZ’s Midweek program, covering the most important developments around the world through the middle of this week.

Azerbaijan demands compensation from Russia

Azerbaijan continues to speak to Russia in a firm tone. The two countries have summoned each other’s ambassadors to their respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs and exchanged formal protest notes. These diplomatic encounters have taken on the tone of post-match football briefings, with ambassadors escorted like head coaches to explain their positions. The most serious sign of deepening tensions is the arrest of Azerbaijani diaspora members and migrants in Russia, followed by the filing of criminal charges against them. Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that several individuals had been officially charged following the June 27 raid in Yekaterinburg. The charges include the 2001 murder of Yunus Pashaev, the 2010 attempted murder of Fehruz Shirinov, and the 2011 killing of Ikram Gadzhiev. Investigators claim the crimes were driven by disputes over business influence and personal rivalries. Five suspects were charged with premeditated murder and attempted murder. All of them are Russian citizens, and one reportedly confessed and implicated the others. However, a key development raises concerns about the credibility of this process. When the head of the Azerbaijani diaspora, Shahin Shikhlinsky, was detained on July 1, his son Mutvala claimed that his father was being pressured to testify against the Safarov brothers, who had been killed. This casts doubt on the reliability of the evidence in the case, especially as it involves Azerbaijani nationals.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani police arrested several Russian citizens on drug trafficking charges. Videos of the arrests showed them being loaded into vehicles in a manner reminiscent of Russia’s OMON forces handling Central Asian migrants—an image that quickly went viral. In another escalation, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s demand to release employees of "Sputnik Azerbaijan", who were detained in Baku, was firmly rejected. They may be held for an additional four months. Most recently, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Mikhail Evdokimov and delivered a formal protest over what it described as unfriendly actions by Russia, which are damaging bilateral relations. This was the second such summons in three days—first the chargé d'affaires, and now the ambassador himself. One of the primary issues raised was Russia’s misleading explanation regarding the deaths of the Safarov brothers. Azerbaijan stated that Russia’s version of events contradicted expert findings, which showed signs of violence on the bodies of the deceased—a point also covered in earlier Midweek broadcasts.

The Azerbaijani side also pointed out that some Russian media outlets had demonstrated signs of ethnic bias in their reporting on the Yekaterinburg raids. Specifically, the use of phrases like “ethnic criminal group” in reference to Azerbaijanis was condemned. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that allegations about the "Sputnik Azerbaijan" investigation were unfounded and confirmed that a proper investigation is currently underway. In addition, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry accused Russian officials and media of launching a disinformation campaign following the incident involving the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was reportedly shot down over Russian airspace at the end of last year. The Ministry stressed that no meaningful steps had been taken to resolve the matter and said attempts to distort the truth were unacceptable. Baku insists that necessary measures include a full and transparent investigation into the incident and compensation for the victims.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits Azerbaijan

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Baku on a state visit on July 2 at the invitation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The Uzbek leader was received at Heydar Aliyev International Airport by First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Yakub Ayubov and other senior officials. An official welcoming ceremony was held at the Zagulba residence in Baku, where President Ilham Aliyev warmly greeted President Mirziyoyev. Following a joint photo session, the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan held a private meeting, followed by the second session of the Supreme Interstate Council. During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to further strengthen Uzbek-Azerbaijani friendship, strategic partnership, and allied relations. Expanding cooperation in key areas was also on the agenda. It was reported that bilateral trade volume increased by 25 percent over the past year, and the project portfolio has reached \$4 billion. Currently, around 300 joint ventures are operating between the two countries. President Mirziyoyev stated that relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have reached an unprecedented level in their history.

A number of important bilateral documents were exchanged during the visit. These included the “Roadmap” for implementing the Treaty on Union Relations for 2025–2029; an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in science, vocational training, and higher education; an industrial cooperation program for 2025–2026; a program to increase bilateral trade to \$1 billion by 2030; and agreements on establishing fraternal relations between the Tashkent region and the city of Sumgait, as well as between Navoi and Gabala. As part of the visit, the inauguration of the new building of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Baku also took place. The two leaders cut a symbolic ribbon to formally open the embassy. Notably, each hall in the embassy is named after a region of Uzbekistan. President Mirziyoyev proposed naming one of the halls after Karabakh as a symbol of friendship and solidarity between the two nations. On July 3, the President of Uzbekistan continued his visit in Karabakh, where he toured a joint garment factory in Khonjendir and the historic “Imorat” architectural complex in the city of Agdam. On July 4, President Mirziyoyev is scheduled to participate in the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Khonjendir and hold a series of bilateral meetings. Meanwhile, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov is also set to arrive in Azerbaijan on July 3 for a two-day official state visit. The primary purpose of his visit is to attend the ECO summit in Khonjendir. Just a day earlier, Japarov was in Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked him for granting special status to the Russian language in Kyrgyzstan.

US halts military aid to Ukraine

Following the recent NATO summit, Secretary General Mark Rutte reaffirmed that the United States remains “absolutely committed” to fully supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression. He added that no NATO member was naïve about Russia, and that all allies shared a unified assessment of Moscow's behavior. However, shortly after that statement, the United States appeared to take a contradictory step. According to reports, the Pentagon has halted the shipment of missiles and ammunition to Ukraine due to concerns over America’s own military reserves. NBC News reported that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth ordered the suspension after a memo was released a few weeks ago calling for a review of U.S. weapons stockpiles. According to the report, U.S. military stockpiles have been significantly depleted due to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Two Defense Department officials and two congressional representatives confirmed that the shipment of ammunition and other weapons will remain on hold until the review is completed. If the review identifies critical shortages, the delivery could be delayed further. NBC News obtained a list of military aid packages that have been paused. These include:

•  Patriot missile systems
•  155 mm high-explosive artillery shells
•  100 Hellfire missiles
•  250 high-precision GMLRS missiles
•  Dozens of Stinger surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, and grenade launchers

The U.S. Congress has demanded an explanation for the decision. Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick sent an official letter to President Donald Trump and posted a statement on the social platform X.

“I have officially requested that the White House and the Department of Defense hold an urgent briefing. This will clarify the available information, assess the current stock of U.S. weapons and ammunition, and confirm that our country remains committed to supporting Ukraine,” he wrote.

Fitzpatrick expressed serious concern over the temporary suspension of arms shipments, especially since it comes amid the largest wave of Russian air strikes since the war began. He also emphasized that Ukrainians continue to defend their country with great bravery.

USAID is no more

As previously reported, at the end of March this year, the U.S. State Department sent an official notification to Congress announcing that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) would be terminated as of July 1, 2025. On July 1, the Trump administration officially confirmed the closure of USAID. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the decision was based on the agency’s perceived ineffectiveness and a shift in the current administration’s priorities toward strictly national interests. Rubio stated that the Trump administration reviewed the funding allocated to thousands of USAID programs and concluded that, over the decades of the agency’s existence—and after adjusting for inflation—more than \$715 billion had been spent. In his words, this money has "seemingly flown into the air," as the goals set were not achieved. Rubio also criticized recipient countries, alleging that many of those which received substantial aid through USAID refused to cooperate with the United States. He cited sub-Saharan African countries as an example, claiming that although they had received \$165 billion in aid since 1991, they supported the U.S. in only 29 percent of votes on key UN resolutions.

Some of USAID's functions will now be transferred to the U.S. State Department. Rubio said that the department will carry out these responsibilities "with greater responsibility, strategy, and efficiency." The restructuring is based on a “trade over aid” model, reflecting the administration’s belief that developing countries prefer investment that stimulates sustainable growth over long-term dependency on aid. According to Rubio, future assistance will be both targeted and time-bound. The United States now plans to focus its resources on countries that are both able and willing to cooperate, and on sectors that offer mutual benefits. This sweeping reform began earlier this year, shortly after Elon Musk posted on X that “USAID is a criminal organization.” Following this, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) issued a message to USAID staff instructing them to eliminate all non-statutory positions and requesting that employees submit their resignations between July and September. In fact, President Trump targeted USAID on his very first day in office. On January 20 of this year, he froze all foreign aid provided through the agency for 90 days. At the time, there was no mention of shutting it down—only that programs would be reviewed for alignment with "American values" and U.S. foreign policy. Now, that review has culminated in the agency's complete elimination. USAID, one of the world’s largest and most influential international aid organizations for decades, is now officially dismantled. Experts warn that the consequences could be dire. According to some projections, the closure of USAID may result in the deaths of up to 14 million people worldwide by 2030.

Israel agrees to 60-day ceasefire in Gaza – Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that American representatives have reached an agreement with Israel for a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

“Israel has agreed to the terms necessary for a 60-day ceasefire. During this time, we will work with all parties to end the war. The Qataris and Egyptians—countries that have done so much for peace—will present this final proposal,” Trump wrote.

He also expressed hope that Hamas would accept the deal “for the good of the Middle East.”

“Because it will not get better—only worse,” he added.

39 Gazans died in the latest Israeli attacks

Thirty-nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across multiple areas of the Gaza Strip in the early hours of July 2.

The attacks primarily targeted civilian and displaced populations. According to medical sources and eyewitnesses, Israeli forces struck a house in the Al-Mawasi district of the southern city of Khan Yunis, killing two people.

In the same city, three tents sheltering displaced Palestinians were bombed, resulting in the deaths of 12 people.

Three more were killed in a separate strike in the city’s central area, while the bodies of two others were recovered from beneath the rubble in other neighborhoods.

On Salah al-Din Avenue, located in the central Gaza Strip, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on Palestinians heading to aid stations. This attack killed 10 people and injured more than 50.

In Deir al-Balah, an Israeli strike killed five Palestinians.

In Rafah, a bomb was dropped on a group of people waiting to receive humanitarian aid, killing five more civilians.