“I think that’s also the problem with some of this new ‘media.’ I would like to think most journalists … some journalists have a duty of care,” he said.
Day: October 21, 2025
Ramiz Mehdiyev – AM 10/21/2025
Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former Head of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, was placed under four months of house arrest in mid-October 2025 on charges of treason and attempting a coup.
Arrest and charges
Charges: The 87-year-old Mehdiyev is accused of treason, attempting to seize state power by force, and money laundering.
Coup plot: According to reports in Azerbaijani media, Mehdiyev allegedly devised a plan with Russian support to oust President Ilham Aliyev and install a provisional state council with himself as its leader.
Russian involvement: Reportedly, Mehdiyev pitched the plan to Moscow earlier in 2025 during a period of strained relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. However, Russia later betrayed Mehdiyev by informing Aliyev of the plot during a meeting between the two presidents in Dushanbe in October 2025.
Investigation: The charges resulted from an investigation by the State Security Service, which obtained a court order for his house arrest.
Context: Mehdiyev’s dismissal in 2019 and a public scandal involving his granddaughter’s wedding in 2020 are seen as early signs of his falling out of favor.
Background
Political career: Mehdiyev was a powerful figure in Azerbaijani politics, known as the “grey cardinal.” He served as the Head of the Presidential Administration for nearly 25 years under both Heydar Aliyev and Ilham Aliyev.
Academician: After his 2019 dismissal from the presidential administration, he served as the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan from 2019 to 2022.
Current status: He currently remains a member of the Security Council of Azerbaijan.
Ongoing developments: Mehdiyev also faces the potential revocation of his state awards and titles.— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 21, 2025
Budapest meeting update
A senior Russian official stated that no agreement had ever been made for the meeting, and preparatory talks between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have been postponed indefinitely. There will not be an imminent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest
Timeline of the proposed Budapest summit
October 17, 2025: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine during a phone call, with Trump announcing afterward that a summit would take place in Budapest.
October 20, 2025: CNN reports that the preparatory meeting between Rubio and Lavrov was postponed. The Kremlin later denies that a meeting had ever been finalized, saying that “it’s impossible to postpone something that hasn’t been set in stone”.
October 21, 2025: Moscow reports that no precise timeframe has been set for a summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously expressed concerns about being excluded from the talks.— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 21, 2025
Budapest meeting update
A senior Russian official stated that no agreement had ever been made for the meeting, and preparatory talks between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have been postponed indefinitely. There will not be an imminent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest
Timeline of the proposed Budapest summit
October 17, 2025: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine during a phone call, with Trump announcing afterward that a summit would take place in Budapest.
October 20, 2025: CNN reports that the preparatory meeting between Rubio and Lavrov was postponed. The Kremlin later denies that a meeting had ever been finalized, saying that “it’s impossible to postpone something that hasn’t been set in stone”.
October 21, 2025: Moscow reports that no precise timeframe has been set for a summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously expressed concerns about being excluded from the talks.— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 21, 2025