In a post on X, Taleb revealed that he had been invited to speak in Azerbaijan but refused the offer. I declined (they hugely upped their offer, not understanding my ethics, thinking it would make a difference),” Taleb wrote. He added: “I will not set foot in Azerbaijan with Ruben Vardanyan jailed there.” I declined (they yuugely upped their offer, not understanding my ethics, thinking it would make a difference). — Nassim Nicholas Taleb (@nntaleb) August 2, 2026In a follow-up post, Taleb stressed that financial incentives would not alter his position.