Category: Azer News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Kyiv is prepared to forgo NATO membership in exchange for robust security guarantees from the United States and European partners, as diplomatic efforts to end the war intensify, Azernews reports.

Speaking to journalists, Zelensky said the proposed guarantees should mirror NATO’s Article 5 collective defense principle. He added that the framework would not be limited to Europe, noting that non-European partners such as Canada and Japan could also play a role. His comments were reported by the Financial Times following a WhatsApp conversation with reporters.

The remarks come ahead of Zelensky’s planned meeting in Berlin with U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring renewed international engagement around a possible peace settlement.

Zelensky also disclosed that Ukraine has yet to receive a response from Washington regarding Kyiv’s revised peace proposal. Acknowledging the complexity of negotiations, he said that compromises would be unavoidable if the war is to be brought to an end.

The statement marks one of Zelensky’s clearest signals yet of flexibility on Ukraine’s long-standing NATO ambitions, highlighting Kyiv’s focus on securing concrete and enforceable security guarantees amid ongoing conflict.

Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that Moscow is primarily focused on engagement with the United States rather than European countries in efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, Azernews reports.

Speaking to reporters, Peskov claimed that European states are pursuing their own agenda and suggested that they are inclined toward prolonging the war. ‘The Europeans are playing their own game. It still looks like they want the war to continue, but we are naturally more oriented toward our counterparts in Washington,’ he said.

Peskov’s remarks came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signaled Kyiv’s willingness to abandon its bid for NATO membership in exchange for security guarantees from the United States, European nations, and other partners.

The statements highlight differing diplomatic approaches among key actors as discussions around potential pathways to end the conflict continue to gain momentum.

France has won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2025, which was held in Georgia, Azernews reports.

Lou Deluiz claimed first place after receiving 152 points from the professional jury and 96 points from the online public vote, securing an overall victory.

Based on the final results, Azerbaijan’s representative Yaghmur Nasrullayeva finished the competition in 15th place.

The voting process revealed several noteworthy aspects. In the online audience voting (televoting), Azerbaijan’s entry received 54 points, sharing 8th place with Spain. This result demonstrated that the performance’s energy, positive spirit, and child-friendly style were highly appreciated by viewers.

At the same time, certain differences were observed between the professional jury scores and the public vote. Azerbaijan received a total of 12 points from the jury, including 2 points from Albania, 7 points from Malta, and 3 points from the Netherlands.

Sharing the stage with Yaghmur, Ali Ocaqverdi, Melisa Soltanova, and Nargiz Nasibova also won audience appreciation with their dynamic performances. The choreography was prepared by Emin Huseynov, the stage direction was designed by Danish specialist Mads Enggaard, and the stage costumes were created by designer Leyli Polayeva.

The diversity of voting mechanisms and perspectives in international competitions contributes to varied and dynamic outcomes. In this context, strong public support indicates that Azerbaijan’s representative successfully connected with a broad audience and conveyed the spirit of the contest.

For Azerbaijan, the primary goal of participation in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest is to prepare talented children for international stages, enhance their experience, and promote them globally. From this perspective, Yaghmur Nasrullayeva’s performance is regarded as a notable achievement for the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Kyiv is prepared to forgo NATO membership in exchange for robust security guarantees from the United States and European partners, as diplomatic efforts to end the war intensify, Azernews reports.

Speaking to journalists, Zelensky said the proposed guarantees should mirror NATO’s Article 5 collective defense principle. He added that the framework would not be limited to Europe, noting that non-European partners such as Canada and Japan could also play a role. His comments were reported by the Financial Times following a WhatsApp conversation with reporters.

The remarks come ahead of Zelensky’s planned meeting in Berlin with U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring renewed international engagement around a possible peace settlement.

Zelensky also disclosed that Ukraine has yet to receive a response from Washington regarding Kyiv’s revised peace proposal. Acknowledging the complexity of negotiations, he said that compromises would be unavoidable if the war is to be brought to an end.

The statement marks one of Zelensky’s clearest signals yet of flexibility on Ukraine’s long-standing NATO ambitions, highlighting Kyiv’s focus on securing concrete and enforceable security guarantees amid ongoing conflict.

The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) has signed new procurement contracts with two foreign companies.

As reported by Azernews, the agreements cover the purchase of specialized protective clothing sets intended for mine clearance operations.

Under the contracts, ANAMA signed an agreement worth 150,000 manats with Israel-based Cortex Engineering Ltd. for the procurement of full-body armored protective suits. In addition, a contract valued at 265,306 manats was concluded with Norway’s Rofi a.s. for the delivery of individual armored protective clothing sets.

As a result, a total of 415,306 manats will be allocated for the acquisition of these specialized protective gear sets.

The Azerbaijan Under-20 Judo Championship has officially concluded, Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijan Judo Federation.

On the final day of the tournament, team competitions were held at the Absheron Olympic Sports Complex. A total of eight teams representing seven judo clubs and sports societies competed in the men’s division for the championship title.

The matches were contested across five weight categories: 66 kg, 73 kg, 81 kg, 90 kg, and over 90 kg.

At the end of the competition, Neftchi Sports Club claimed the overall team title. Kanokan-TT Sports Club secured second place, while Serhedchi Sports Society and Judo Club 2012 shared third place.

The championship once again highlighted the depth of young judo talent in Azerbaijan and the growing competitiveness among the country’s leading clubs.

NATO should reassess its strategic framework and prepare for potential confrontations with Russia that go beyond ‘the fight for the Atlantic’ or land operations in Europe, according to a recent review by the NATO Military College.

As reported by Azernews, the document highlights that the development of a nation’s naval forces is a key feature of Moscow’s strategy. According to the author, NATO Military College researcher Andrew Monaghan, this approach allows Russia to assert itself as a leader in the era of geoeconomic competition.

‘The review redirects NATO’s orientation from the restored ‘fight for the Atlantic’ or Northeast European land operation scenarios toward a global, multi-domain response to diverse Russian challenges,’ the document states.

Alliance analysts also noted that crisis scenarios often focus on rising tensions along a continuous strategic axis from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, emphasizing the need for NATO to adapt to evolving security threats.

France has won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2025, which was held in Georgia, Azernews reports.

Lou Deluiz claimed first place after receiving 152 points from the professional jury and 96 points from the online public vote, securing an overall victory.

Based on the final results, Azerbaijan’s representative Yaghmur Nasrullayeva finished the competition in 15th place.

The voting process revealed several noteworthy aspects. In the online audience voting (televoting), Azerbaijan’s entry received 54 points, sharing 8th place with Spain. This result demonstrated that the performance’s energy, positive spirit, and child-friendly style were highly appreciated by viewers.

At the same time, certain differences were observed between the professional jury scores and the public vote. Azerbaijan received a total of 12 points from the jury, including 2 points from Albania, 7 points from Malta, and 3 points from the Netherlands.

Sharing the stage with Yaghmur, Ali Ocaqverdi, Melisa Soltanova, and Nargiz Nasibova also won audience appreciation with their dynamic performances. The choreography was prepared by Emin Huseynov, the stage direction was designed by Danish specialist Mads Enggaard, and the stage costumes were created by designer Leyli Polayeva.

The diversity of voting mechanisms and perspectives in international competitions contributes to varied and dynamic outcomes. In this context, strong public support indicates that Azerbaijan’s representative successfully connected with a broad audience and conveyed the spirit of the contest.

For Azerbaijan, the primary goal of participation in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest is to prepare talented children for international stages, enhance their experience, and promote them globally. From this perspective, Yaghmur Nasrullayeva’s performance is regarded as a notable achievement for the country.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to meet Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during his visit to Belarus, according to a statement by Ismail Baqaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported by Azernews.

Baqaei added that Araghchi is also expected to hold meetings with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov and other high-ranking officials.

He further noted that over the next two to three days, the minister will visit Russia and Belarus, where, in addition to his Belarus meetings, he will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and representatives of the State Duma.

A new regulatory framework for the artificial intelligence industry is set to take effect in South Korea on January 22, Azernews reports, citing Yonhap.

The legislation includes safety and transparency requirements, such as disclosure obligations for certain AI systems, and calls for the establishment of a national AI committee and the creation of a basic three-year AI plan, according to sources familiar with the matter.

A recent poll cited by Yonhap revealed that 98% of South Korean AI startups are unprepared for the new rules and lack the systems needed to comply. An unnamed industry official warned that some companies could be forced to abruptly alter or suspend services, and that others might even consider exiting the South Korean market after the regulations come into effect.