EN
AZ
On May 4, 2026, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, participated via video link in the 8th Summit of the European Political Community (EPC), held in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, where he delivered a comprehensive speech.
Several important points were highlighted in the President’s address:
The Head of State declared that peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia had already become a reality and that a new era had begun in the region.
It was noted that the two sides had been living in peaceful conditions for nine months and that an atmosphere of mutual trust had been developing during this period.
Special emphasis was placed on the joint declaration signed in Washington last August, which played a decisive role in the peace process.
President Ilham Aliyev criticized the biased approaches and “double standards” of certain European institutions, particularly the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), toward Azerbaijan.
The President stressed that Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity carries the same value as the territorial integrity of any other state and stated that discrimination on this issue is unacceptable.
It was noted that after the establishment of peace, Azerbaijan unilaterally lifted all transit restrictions imposed on Armenia since the 1990s.
The President highlighted that 12,000 tons of oil products had been exported to Armenia and that cargo transportation volumes had increased, describing this as an indicator of economic integration.
President Ilham Aliyev proposed that one of the EPC summit meetings scheduled for 2028 be hosted in Azerbaijan.
The President’s participation in the summit held in the Armenian capital, even in video format, is regarded as an important diplomatic step toward the normalization of relations between the two countries.
This speech once again demonstrated that Azerbaijan has become the main actor shaping the peace agenda in the South Caucasus and that the region’s future development model is being formed by Baku.
At the same time, it was reaffirmed that Azerbaijan is not only an energy supplier but also a strategic partner for Europe within the framework of the Middle Corridor as a global logistics hub.
During the summit, Azerbaijan’s national interests and territorial integrity were presented to the international community as a “red line.” In addition, the country demonstrated a principled stance against biased approaches by international organizations, emphasizing the firmness of its independent foreign policy course.
President Ilham Aliyev’s speech is effectively regarded as “the beginning of a new era.” It represents the logical continuation of consolidating Azerbaijan’s military victory on diplomatic and economic platforms.
Thus, the South Caucasus is no longer forming as a conflict zone, but rather as a region contributing to Europe’s security and transforming into a platform for strategic cooperation.
Several important points were highlighted in the President’s address:
The Head of State declared that peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia had already become a reality and that a new era had begun in the region.
It was noted that the two sides had been living in peaceful conditions for nine months and that an atmosphere of mutual trust had been developing during this period.
Special emphasis was placed on the joint declaration signed in Washington last August, which played a decisive role in the peace process.
President Ilham Aliyev criticized the biased approaches and “double standards” of certain European institutions, particularly the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), toward Azerbaijan.
The President stressed that Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity carries the same value as the territorial integrity of any other state and stated that discrimination on this issue is unacceptable.
It was noted that after the establishment of peace, Azerbaijan unilaterally lifted all transit restrictions imposed on Armenia since the 1990s.
The President highlighted that 12,000 tons of oil products had been exported to Armenia and that cargo transportation volumes had increased, describing this as an indicator of economic integration.
President Ilham Aliyev proposed that one of the EPC summit meetings scheduled for 2028 be hosted in Azerbaijan.
The President’s participation in the summit held in the Armenian capital, even in video format, is regarded as an important diplomatic step toward the normalization of relations between the two countries.
This speech once again demonstrated that Azerbaijan has become the main actor shaping the peace agenda in the South Caucasus and that the region’s future development model is being formed by Baku.
At the same time, it was reaffirmed that Azerbaijan is not only an energy supplier but also a strategic partner for Europe within the framework of the Middle Corridor as a global logistics hub.
During the summit, Azerbaijan’s national interests and territorial integrity were presented to the international community as a “red line.” In addition, the country demonstrated a principled stance against biased approaches by international organizations, emphasizing the firmness of its independent foreign policy course.
President Ilham Aliyev’s speech is effectively regarded as “the beginning of a new era.” It represents the logical continuation of consolidating Azerbaijan’s military victory on diplomatic and economic platforms.
Thus, the South Caucasus is no longer forming as a conflict zone, but rather as a region contributing to Europe’s security and transforming into a platform for strategic cooperation.
Shafa Musayeva
Senior Lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences,
Azerbaijan State Agricultural University
Senior Lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences,
Azerbaijan State Agricultural University