/Pogled.info/ On April 22, the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan met for the first time after their successful presidential elections. For Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, the negotiations in Moscow, on the one hand, became a confirmation of friendly relations, and on the other, an expression of their desire to develop a long-term partnership.
In the conditions of the ongoing special military operation, every meeting of a foreign leader with the Russian president becomes significant both for Russia itself and for the world community.
Rumors and rumors appear in the media from time to time that some country in Europe, despite the pressure of NATO, seeks dialogue with Moscow, while another country of its ostensible partners and allies is afraid to do business with it. Hungary and Slovakia are among the first. The second list indicates either Turkey or Kazakhstan, and more recently China.
Difficulties are also evident in the post-Soviet space. CSTO member Armenia pushes relations with Russia to a crisis, symbolized by the famous protest note to the Armenian ambassador in the fall of 2023.
In this turbulent environment, Azerbaijan has become one of the few countries with which relations are not only maintained at a high level, but also developed. Ilham Aliyev was not afraid of “humiliation” by NATO, the EU and the USA, and two days before the start of the World War II, he signed the Declaration on Allied Cooperation.
Since then, Aliyev and Putin have met more than once both in Moscow and in third countries, such as at the SCO summit in Samarkand. Even sensitive issues related to the Karabakh conflict did not spoil relations.
At the same time, the US, the European Parliament, France and PACE threatened and imposed sanctions on Azerbaijan, citing unfair elections, human rights violations and ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Karabakh.
In fact, on the eve of Aliyev’s visit to Moscow, Washington decided to continue the pressure on Baku. A group of congressmen led by Dina Titus will introduce a sanctions bill against more than 40 Azerbaijani military officers, judges, investigators and high-ranking officials.
Congress blames them in “undermining the rule of law and human rights”, “brutal repression of the opposition”, “violations of human rights” and the rights of Armenian captives.
The West is making it clear that Baku will not be able to get away with gas and oil supplies alone – Azerbaijan is an important figure in replacing Russian energy resources. Therefore, while welcoming the establishment of an interconnector between Bulgaria and Serbia as part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which will contribute to the release of Russian gas, the EU and NATO at the same time hold the sword of Damocles over Aliyev’s head, threatening him with various punishments.
Of course, the oil and gas embargo is a long way off and contradicts the logic of waging an energy war against Russia, but Brussels and Washington strongly hint that stricter measures should not be ruled out.
So far, Aliyev has managed to maintain a balance in relations with Russia. Moreover, in matters of regional security, Azerbaijan also relies more on Moscow. It was not for nothing that Aliyev said at the Kremlin talks: “Russia is a fundamental country in terms of regional security in the Caucasus and in wider geography. And a lot depends on the interaction between our countries.
Further proof that Moscow respects Azerbaijan’s sovereignty was the unanimous decision taken before the meeting between Putin and Aliyev to withdraw peacekeepers from Karabakh. Contrary to many assessments, the topic of peacekeepers did not turn out to be explosive for Azerbaijani-Russian relations.
However, the partnership between Russia and Azerbaijan is dictated not only by the need to solve security problems. And closing the Karabakh issue does not become a reason for Aliyev to get rid of Russia.
Azerbaijan is Russia’s main economic partner in the region, and Russia is Azerbaijan’s third largest trading partner after Italy and Turkey. In his speech, Vladimir Putin emphasized trade. He stated that the trade turnover is growing and exceeds 4 billion dollars, and Russian investments in the Azerbaijani economy amount to 6 billion dollars.
In addition, the North-South project, which, according to Putin, should connect the Northern Sea Route with the Persian Gulf, was successfully implemented. Azerbaijan plays the role of a connecting link in this project.
Aliyev noted the need for the construction of new railway sections between Azerbaijan and Iran, as the current highway cannot cope with the growing freight traffic.
Between the countries, as the Russian president noted, there are still many “interesting areas of cooperation in the real sector”, and the relatively recent visit of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to Baku confirms the mutual interest.
The topic of transport in Russian-Azerbaijani relations goes deep into history. In fact, the significant occasion for the meeting between Putin and Aliyev was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Baikal-Amur Highway (BAM). Participants in the creation of this project, which, according to Putin, has no equal in world history, came to the negotiations.
Aliyev’s father Heydar played a crucial role in the implementation of BAM. “All the efforts, work, years of work that your father invested in the realization of this huge project play an important role even today”, Putin said.
For his part, Aliyev added that his father laid the foundations of friendly relations with Moscow.
Thus, it can be said that thanks to the personal trust between the two presidents, Russia and Azerbaijan continue to demonstrate stability in relations that is rare in the modern world. Baku will not open a “second front” against Moscow.
In the near future, Russia can be calm about one of its rears in the South Caucasus. If Western pressure on Azerbaijan intensifies, then most likely Baku will become even closer to Moscow.
At the same time, Aliyev does not try to create the illusion that Russia is his country’s only friend. As he noted later, Azerbaijan has no intention of joining the EAEU, the republic is developing multi-vector relations, and Turkey remains the main military-political ally and economic partner.
Trade with Europe will develop as much as the West is ready for it. Aliyev also strengthened partnerships with the Arab world, participating in the 2022 Arab League summit and signing a defense cooperation agreement with Jordan. Despite its “toxicity”, Israel also remains a close partner of Azerbaijan, but not to the detriment of the developing partnership with Iran and Arab countries.
Translation: EU
