Steinmeier's post with Artsakh flag sparks backlash in Baku

PanARMENIAN.Net - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s official social media post featuring the flag of Artsakh has triggered outrage in Baku.

The German ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ralf Horlemann, was summoned to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to Minval.az , where a formal protest was presented.

Baku considers the gesture a “violation of the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

Azerbaijani authorities informed the German diplomat that such actions, particularly during a regional visit, are seen as “an open political provocation and unacceptable.” Azerbaijan has demanded a public apology from Germany.

According to the Azerbaijani side, the image shared by President Steinmeier contradicts Berlin’s earlier statements supporting Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and undermines the ongoing peace process.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also emphasized that there is no administrative unit called “Nagorno-Karabakh” in the country and urged avoidance of what it called “nonexistent, biased, and false” designations.

As part of his regional visit, the German president, currently in Armenia, shared the image of the Artsakh flag on his social media page.

Alongside the photo, he wrote: “The conflict concerns the Nagorno-Karabakh region. According to international law, the region belongs to Azerbaijan, but it has historically been inhabited by an Armenian majority. Armed conflicts have occurred multiple times over the past decades.”

Steinmeier is also scheduled to visit Azerbaijan during his regional tour.