The armed forces of Türkiye and Azerbaijan hold joint exercises at least 10 times a year as part of their security alliance and this is a key factor for stability in the Caucasus region, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Wednesday.
Speaking to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Aliyev praised Türkiye’s role in the modernization of the Azerbaijani army, as well as its achievement of “high standards.”
Ankara and Baku have militarily cooperated since the 1990s, when Azerbaijan became independent from the Soviet Union. Azerbaijani army switched to the Turkish army’s model of operations in 2020 before the Second Karabakh War.
The sides conduct at least 10 joint military drills to bolster coordination and test combat abilities annually.
When asked whether Türkiye needed a military base in Azerbaijan, Aliyev cited the Shusha Agreement, which stipulates military aid from both sides against threats and attacks.
“Therefore, this article renders it redundant to have a military base for either country in the other,” Aliyev said.
He also boasted about Azerbaijan being accepted as “an actor leading an independent policy in both the West and East” as well as “the only country that is an ally to both Russia and NATO member Türkiye.”
Russia and Azerbaijan are reliable partners, and Aliyev continued, saying that both nations have been understanding and friendly to one another during challenging times.
Regarding the possibility of a clash between Russia and NATO, Aliyev expressed hope such a thing “that could cause disastrous results for the whole world” does not happen.
“Such a war would have no winners. I hope Moscow and Washington have the political will to avoid this nightmare scenario,” Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijani president also warned against the recent armament trend in archrival Armenia, claiming it was a “direct threat” to Azerbaijan.
Baku and Yerevan fought two wars over the mountainous enclave of Karabakh and Azerbaijan cleared the region of Armenian separatists last year. The sides have been working to sign a peace treaty, but stumbling blocks remain.
Azerbaijan’s border to Armenia stretches over a thousand kilometers and several civilian settlements are in the region, Aliyev recalled and called on Armenia, France and the U.S. to abandon their weapons agreements.