NOT JUST NEIGHBOURS

Baku and Moscow are enhancing their bilateral relations, fostering an atmosphere of friendship and good neighbourliness. The state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijan exemplifies this strengthening bond. 

Mutual Interest

The nature and significance of the visit is best illustrated by the assessments provided by the two heads of state themselves. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, referring to the successful implementation of the Declaration on Allied Cooperation signed in February 2022, stated that "our countries act as allies, as friends, as close partners and neighbours." His Russian counterpart emphasised that Moscow "attaches great importance to the development of multifaceted friendly relations with Azerbaijan," noting the foundational "principles of equality, consideration of each other's interests and, of course, the close human and cultural ties that have united our peoples for centuries."

The visit affirmed that economic cooperation plays a significant role in the development of Azerbaijani-Russian relations. This is evident in the provisions of the action plan for the development of key areas of Azerbaijani-Russian cooperation for 2024-2026, signed in January this year, which includes sectors such as trade, transport, industry, energy, and information technology. At the same time, particular emphasis is placed on the implementation of the North-South project, which, according to the Russian president, "will allow us to reach the shores of the Indian Ocean and use these routes for mutual benefit and interest." 

Ilham Aliyev noted the detailed discussion of the North-South project with Putin and confirmed that it is "extremely important for our interstate relations, as well as for issues related to regional transport corridors and transport routes." The key role of Azerbaijan as a central link in this project is clear. This role was established during Ilham Aliyev's visit to Russia in April 2024, when both leaders declared that the main railway route within the North-South corridor passes through Azerbaijan. During Putin's visit to Baku, Aliyev emphasised that "both railway and road segments of the North-South corridor have been fully implemented and are successfully functioning on the territory of Azerbaijan. At present, we are actively engaged in modernisation of the railway section of this corridor to increase its capacity. We are discussing the possibility of transporting cargo from 15 million tonnes per year and higher—up to 30 million tonnes—and this is quite realistic." 

Among the areas of Azerbaijani-Russian interaction, cooperation in ecology appears particularly relevant. Russia has supported Azerbaijan's right to host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will be held in Baku in November this year. The leaders of Azerbaijan and Russia also discussed the environmental situation in the Caspian Sea during their meeting in Baku, expressing concern over its shoaling. 

"From the window of our meeting room, I pointed out the rocks that were submerged two years ago but have now risen a meter above the water. This phenomenon is visible along the entire Absheron Peninsula and the coast of Azerbaijan. We agreed to analyse the situation together and develop strategies to prevent a potential ecological disaster, both bilaterally and in a five-party format. We are already witnessing signs of this ecological disaster firsthand," Ilham Aliyev emphasised. Simultaneously, he made it clear that trusting relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are also based on joint efforts to overcome common threats. 

Balanced Policy

One of the key outcomes of Putin's visit to Baku was Russia's support for Azerbaijan's elevated status in the SCO and its interest in strengthening cooperation with BRICS. This was confirmed by Azerbaijan's official application to join BRICS, which includes Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, and Iran, alongside Russia.

Azerbaijan's move to join BRICS aligns with its balanced foreign policy and its significant role in global affairs as a member and chair of the Non-Aligned Movement. This trajectory is expected to solidify soon, with direct backing from Russia, which currently chairs the organization. Azerbaijan's invitation to Moscow for the BRICS High Level Dialogue on Climate and the forum "BRICS Climate Agenda in Contemporary Conditions" underscores this support. Additionally, Azerbaijan's application to join BRICS is anticipated to be considered at the upcoming summit in Kazan at the end of October.

Azerbaijan aims to strengthen its international standing through BRICS membership, enhancing collaboration with existing member countries, including Russia. This also means expanding alliances with nations close to Azerbaijan, such as Türkiye and Pakistan, which also aspire to join BRICS.

During Putin's visit, security issues were thoroughly discussed. President Ilham Aliyev noted that since last September, Azerbaijan has fully restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity, creating new opportunities for lasting peace in the South Caucasus. Stability and security in the region largely depend on close cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. The Russian President emphasized that discussions in Baku considered Azerbaijan's role in the Caspian region and Transcaucasia.

A notable statement during Putin's visit concerned the Azerbaijani-Armenian settlement. The Russian leader expressed Moscow's readiness to continue supporting the normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations and the conclusion of a peace treaty. This includes promoting border delimitation and demarcation, unblocking cross-border routes, and establishing humanitarian contacts, based on relevant Soviet-era documents.

Russia's reminder of its desire to facilitate negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia is significant. The West aims to secure an Azerbaijani-Armenian peace treaty before the COP29 climate summit in Baku in November. Azerbaijan's approach to this peace process is well-known: it seeks an interstate treaty with Armenia, conditioned on Armenia's complete renunciation of territorial claims, reflected in the elimination of contradictory provisions in Armenian legislation.

Azerbaijan's commitment to achieving lasting peace with Armenia is evident in its response to Russia's proposal to use its negotiation platform again. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov confirmed in an interview with Izvestia that Azerbaijan is open to various negotiation formats, including bilateral talks with Armenia and platforms offered by Russia. "Recently, it was the Armenian side that did not consent to this," he said.

This only confirms Armenia's destructive stance regarding the overall peace process. At the same time, it is increasingly emboldened by efforts towards militarisation taken by the European Union, France, and the United States—which, given Yerevan's refusal to officially renounce its territorial claims against Azerbaijan, signifies nothing less than deliberate encouragement for a new war. 

Historical Character

Speaking about Russian President Putin's state visit to Baku, one cannot overlook reactions from certain global and intra-regional circles dissatisfied with Azerbaijan's growing influence on the international stage. This influence has been notably established through strategically verified dialogue between Baku and Moscow. 

For some time now, Euro-Atlantic information spaces—where even Armenian political experts attempt to join in a multivoiced chorus—have been working diligently to portray Azerbaijan as an almost pro-Russian country that stands not with "Western democracy" but rather with "Putin's dictatorship" during current global confrontations. However, all this simplistic noise surrounding Azerbaijan's geopolitical role is countered primarily by concrete evidence showcasing its self-sufficiency and truly independent state course. 

This manifests itself first and foremost through Baku's ever-increasing economic influence on large-scale integration processes across Eurasia. Regarding Azerbaijan's position amid global confrontations—most acutely highlighted by escalating hostility between West and Russia—Baku consistently defends its sovereign interests within this context as well. Amid ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine shaking Europe, Azerbaijan remains neutral while demonstrating readiness and eagerness to preserve and expand its traditionally friendly relations with both nations. The practical application of this policy leads global circles to conclude that they must recognise Azerbaijan’s importance as a state consistently pursuing a balanced foreign policy—one not swayed by external dictates or whims dictated by world political situations. Naturally, they would prefer Azerbaijan to become a puppet state like Armenia—which they favour—attempting to substitute Russia with Western powers as their master without changing its essence: a mere executor for one or another global power centre’s will. But such a scenario is unlikely because Azerbaijan will not permit itself to become a battleground for geopolitical disputes unlike Armenia. All steps taken by Azerbaijan—across western, eastern, northern, and southern directions—are aimed at strengthening its sovereignty while establishing itself as a regional power dissimilar from its neighbouring Armenian sub-state.

Unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan is free from foreign military presence. It has even succeeded in having Russian peacekeeping forces vacate its Garabagh region much earlier than anticipated. Simultaneously, this withdrawal was an event devoid of any anti-Russian sentiment from Azerbaijan; rather it contributed positively towards fostering friendly neighbourly relations between both states at a new level. This is convincingly affirmed by Putin’s visit to Baku—which President Ilham Aliyev described as "of historic nature and will make an important contribution to strengthening friendly and allied relations between our countries."