Category: Azer News

The Kremlin has welcomed the new US national security strategy approved by President Donald Trump, saying the document largely reflects Russia’s own understanding of global dynamics.

Released last week, the strategy warns that Europe risks what it terms ‘civilizational erasure,’ names ending the war in Ukraine as a central US priority, and indicates Washington’s intention to rebuild what it calls strategic stability in relations with Moscow.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that many of the strategy’s revisions ‘are consistent with our perspective.’

He also highlighted the document’s comments on reducing ‘the perception . of NATO as a constantly expanding alliance,’ noting that Moscow has long opposed the bloc’s enlargement on security grounds.

However, Peskov added a note of caution, suggesting that elements of what he described as the US ‘deep state’ – a term Trump uses to refer to officials he believes work against his policies – may not share the same stance as the president’s strategy.

Delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of the OIC Cultural Festival: Baku Creative Week – 2025 in Baku, Libya’s Minister of Culture and Cognitive Development, Mabrouka Toghi, emphasized the significance of Azerbaijan’s contribution to Islamic solidarity, stressing that it was widely acknowledged and respected, Azernews reports.

“Azerbaijan’s contribution to strengthening Islamic solidarity is highly valued by all of us. These steps serve not only regional but also global cultural cooperation,” she said.

The minister emphasized that the OIC Cultural Festival is a true embodiment of these values:

“Here, architects, artists, filmmakers, musicians, scholars, and young talents come together and gain broad opportunities to share modern cultural development, new ideas, and technological creativity. I would also like to note that Islamic culture has historically been a bearer of knowledge, science, art, and moral values. This heritage lives not only in libraries and museums, but also in our daily lifestyle, in the spirit of our architecture, in our musical expressions, in our literature, and in our collective memory.

Today, the Libyan Culture Ministry is determined to continue its activities within the framework of the OIC to expand joint cultural programs, support the creative development of youth, and strengthen cooperation in the fields of knowledge and cognition. We believe that the creative industries will be one of the key sectors driving economic and cultural development in the future.”

Unusable and expired ammunition will be destroyed at the training range near the settlement of Pirakashkul and at the training center located in the Aghdara district, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry.

The Ministry noted that the destruction process of ammunition that has reached the end of its service life and is no longer suitable for use will be carried out from 8 to 12 December in compliance with all safety regulations at the Pirakashkul training range and the training center in the Aghdara district.

‘The public is advised not to be alarmed by the sounds of explosions, as there is no cause for concern,’ the ministry said in its statement.

On December 8, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held an expanded meeting with Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic, in Bratislava.

Addressing the meeting, President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini said:

– Dear Mr. President and members of the Azerbaijani delegation,

It is a great honor for us to welcome you to Slovakia, to Bratislava. You have greatly honored us by deciding to visit Slovakia. This is the first official visit by the President of Azerbaijan in the history of the Slovak Republic. Although you visited Slovakia 20 years ago, it was not an official visit and was probably related to participation in a conference or another event. I am also very grateful to you for visiting us with such a large delegation of government members. In our view, this visit should send a strong signal: our relations are not only friendly, but they also hold tremendous potential for further development. We will review many areas. I am grateful for the very sincere discussion in the one-on-one meeting, which I truly appreciate. I also hope that we will have ample opportunity to go over our agenda in great detail during the dinner reception and the state banquet at Bratislava Castle.

Let me emphasize again that you are visiting your friends. We consider you and your country as our friends because we have had the opportunity to meet on multiple occasions. I am very pleased that during my visit as Prime Minister, when I met with you, we decided to strengthen our relations. We concluded that it would be beneficial to open an embassy in Baku. As a government, we made that decision, and you made the same decision as well. I am very pleased that ambassadors are now seated at the table – one from Bratislava, the other from Baku. I believe this was a very useful step. We also decided to establish a Commission between our countries. The last meeting of the Commission was held in 2024, and the next meeting is scheduled for 2026. In short, things are progressing well.

Of course, I should also mention the numerous visits by other government members. These include not only visits by the President and Prime Ministers but also by other officials. I am very pleased that the Minister of Defense informed me that his visit was successful. He was also invited to the parade celebrating an important national holiday and reported that he had excellent meetings in his field, as he is a very active minister himself. The potential for cooperation is great.

The Minister of Economy is also here. This is a very important topic for us at the moment because, regarding energy supply, Slovakia is currently in a challenging situation. We see that Azerbaijan can be part of the long-term solution for us. The European Union has decided to completely ban the imports of Russian gas into Slovakia, a decision made on behalf of all 27 member states. There is very little time. The heads of our companies are also here. I am very glad that you have included the president of SOCAR in the delegation, which allows us to have a very concrete conversation. Azerbaijan can play a role in diversifying our energy supply because, Mr. President, we are currently at the end of the pipeline. In fact, we have always been at the beginning in the direction of Western Europe, but now we are at the end of the pipeline. You can imagine how costly this is. Once again, Mr. President, you are welcome. It is a great honor for us and for the entire Slovak people to welcome you here.

x x x

Speaking next, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said:

– Thank you. Thank you very much for the kind words, Mr. President. I am sincerely grateful to you for the invitation and the hospitality extended. I am very pleased that we are meeting here in Bratislava. First of all, I recall our meeting in Baku, and I would like to express my gratitude once again for your participation in the COP29 conference. We had the opportunity to discuss matters in great detail. You mentioned your visit as Prime Minister and the opening of the embassy. Indeed, we have entered an active phase of relations between Slovakia and Azerbaijan. Today, these relations have reached the level of a strategic partnership. Last year, we signed the Declaration on Strategic Partnership, which elevated our relations to the highest level. We are also very grateful that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Mr. Kalinák, participated in our military parade last month. We view this as a clear sign of strong friendship between our countries. Over the past years, our relations have developed considerably and now cover a wide range of areas.

You mentioned the energy sector. Last year, we began supplying gas to Slovakia, and we are ready to continue doing so whenever appropriate. Our cooperation in the field of defense and the defense industry holds tremendous potential for the future. Important work has already been done, but much remains to be accomplished. We are also grateful for the support of Slovak companies that are actively involved in the reconstruction of Garabagh.

x x x

The President of Slovakia also congratulated the President of Azerbaijan on the historic achievement of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations.

During the conversation, both sides expressed satisfaction with the participation of Slovak companies, as a friendly country, in the reconstruction of the liberated village of Bash Garvand in the Aghdam district under the ‘smart village’ concept. They also praised the successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Slovakia in the fields of energy, transport, and the defense industry. It was noted that Slovakia has supported the development of Azerbaijan’s relations with the European Union.

President Ilham Aliyev invited the President of Slovakia to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan, and the invitation was gratefully accepted.

Work on the construction of the ‘Shafag’ Solar Power Plant (SPP) is progressing successfully.

As reported by Azernews, bp’s Vice President for Communications and External Affairs in the Caspian region, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, made the statement at the ‘Customs-Business Forum 2025: Dialogue and Trust’ held in Baku.

‘As bp marks its 30th year of operations in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector, our activities continue at a highly active pace. Over the first nine months of this year, we carried out 6,250 import operations with a total value of around 170 million USD. Compared to the same period last year, this represents an increase of 40 million USD,’ Aslanbayli said.

He added that cooperation with customs authorities also plays an important role in bp’s new projects, including ‘Shafag.’

‘Thanks to close support from the customs authorities, around 20% of the panels for the Shafag project have already been delivered to the Jabrayil district. Construction of the Shafag Solar Power Plant in Jabrayil will begin shortly,’ Aslanbayli emphasized.

The primary aim of the conference is to protect the Azerbaijani language and define strategic directions for its development, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova said during the event titled ‘Development Strategy of the Azerbaijani Language as the State Language: Current Situation and Prospects,’ Azernews reports.

According to the Speaker, the Azerbaijani language is the nation’s historical memory and the foundation of its statehood.

‘The laws and decisions adopted regarding the protection and development of our language are implemented with the active involvement of parliament. The Law on the State Language and other normative legal acts have established essential mechanisms ensuring its application. Safeguarding the Azerbaijani language and strengthening the norms of the literary language remain among the priority directions of state policy,’ Gafarova stated.

She emphasized that preserving the purity of the Azerbaijani language is a responsibility shared by every citizen, noting that language-related issues are not solely the duty of state institutions but a collective national obligation.

Gafarova also underlined the special mission of parliament in this process.

‘Legislative initiatives, integration of the language into educational programs, and the updating of scientific terminology are constantly in the focus of the Milli Majlis. Parliamentary support ensures the effective implementation of strategic decisions,’ she said.

The Speaker added that while the Azerbaijani language continues to evolve, global developments pose new challenges.

‘The world is changing and new technologies are emerging. Therefore, a systematic approach is essential both for preserving our language and for ensuring its modernization. The active involvement of parliament and support for legislative initiatives make it possible to achieve these goals,’ Gafarova noted.

On December 8, an official welcome ceremony was held in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, for President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

A guard of honor was lined up for the President of Azerbaijan at the Presidential Palace.

President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini welcomed President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The national anthems of Azerbaijan and Slovakia were played.

The chief of the guard of honor reported to the President of Azerbaijan.

The two presidents reviewed the guard of honor.

Members of the Azerbaijani delegation were presented to President Peter Pellegrini, while members of the Slovak delegation were presented to President Ilham Aliyev.

The heads of state posed for official photographs.

President Ilham Aliyev signed the guest book.

A total of 1,693.4 hectares of territory in Azerbaijan was cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) over the past week, the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) said in its weekly report, Azernews reports.

According to the agency, large-scale clearance operations were conducted across multiple regions heavily contaminated during decades of occupation. The activities covered the districts of Tartar, Aghdam, Aghdara, Lachin, Fuzuli, Shusha, Khojaly, Khankandi, Kalbajar, Khojavand, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan. Operations were also carried out in the recently liberated villages of Baghanis Ayrim, Ashagi Askipara, Kheyrimli and Gizilhajili in the Gazakh district.

During the reporting period, demining teams located and neutralised 273 anti-personnel mines, 66 anti-tank mines, and 1,511 pieces of unexploded military ordnance. These findings highlight the scale of explosive contamination and the ongoing threat posed to civilians, returning families, and reconstruction workers in the liberated territories.

Recall that large parts of Azerbaijan, particularly territories liberated after the 2020 and 2023 operations, remain heavily contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) laid by Armenian forces over the past three decades. This contamination affects cities, villages, farmland, forests, and critical infrastructure zones. Mines have caused hundreds of civilian and military casualties since the end of the 2020 war, making demining one of the country’s most urgent humanitarian and reconstruction priorities.

Besides, ANAMA has significantly expanded its operations since 2020, deploying new technologies, including drones, GIS systems, armoured machinery and working with partner states such as Trkiye, the UK, EU members, and UN agencies. Despite this, the scale of contamination is vast, and mine clearance remains a long-term challenge for Azerbaijan’s post-conflict recovery and safe resettlement efforts.

On December 8, the participants of the OIC Cultural Festival: Baku Creative Week 2025, supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), gathering over 300 officials and experts in science, culture, and creative industries from 50 countries, visited the Alley of Honors in Baku, Azernews reports citing Azertag.

Accompanied by Adil Karimli, Azerbaijani Minister of Culture, paid tribute to National Leader, founder and architect of the modern Azerbaijani state Heydar Aliyev and laid flowers at his grave.

On December 8, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic, delivered press statements in Bratislava.

The President of Slovakia made the statement first.

Statement by President Peter Pellegrini

– Ladies and gentlemen,

I am very pleased to welcome the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, to Slovakia here at the Presidential Palace today.

Mr. President, I am delighted that you have accepted my invitation. This is the first official visit by the President of Azerbaijan to Slovakia in history. This confirms our mutual interest at the highest level. We intend to establish and develop a strategic partnership with your country. Mr. President and I held extensive discussions both in an expanded format and in a one-on-one format. We have met many times in the past. As always, our meeting was very sincere and open because our countries are friends, and our relations have always been at a good level.

Slovakia views Azerbaijan as a partner of strategic importance in the region in which it is located. Azerbaijan is the largest economy in the South Caucasus. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia and Europe and is rich in energy resources. I am very pleased that our trade is increasing. There is significant growth, and we also noted today that some potential remains untapped.

Last year, the Declaration on Strategic Partnership was signed between the two countries, raising our relations to a higher level. Our cooperation in all areas of mutual interest can be expanded even further. In the future, Slovakia and Azerbaijan will cooperate even more closely – in the defense industry, advanced technologies, student exchange, tourism, culture, and other areas.

On behalf of the people of Slovakia, I would like to congratulate Mr. President and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia has been initialed after many years. As you may know, this treaty was signed at the White House with the participation of President Donald Trump. Azerbaijan lives in peace today, and its citizens and society are now focused on the development of the country. Attention is now directed to the post-war period.

Azerbaijan can play a leading role for Slovakia. We are talking about diversifying our energy supplies. Of course, we recognize that Azerbaijan can be a long-term strategic partner for us. Our delegations will continue negotiations so that this becomes an agreement acceptable for Slovakia and allows us to benefit from Azerbaijan’s resources.

The defense industry is a very important sector, and we are already developing cooperation in this field. We do not intend simply to sell weapons to Azerbaijan. As you know, this sector is highly developed in Slovakia. We also have extensive experience in self-propelled artillery systems, ammunition, and other products. We can work with Azerbaijan on technology transfer, the use of Azerbaijani financial resources, and joint production, and we can sell jointly manufactured products to third countries.

I am pleased that during the visit of our Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Mr. Kalinák, the Azerbaijani side expressed its interest in purchasing automatic artillery systems and has now reaffirmed its intention. I am sure that these types of weapons will further strengthen the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Joint ventures, joint companies, technology transfer – in other words, we are determined to deepen our cooperation in this area, and of course, there may be other areas of mutual interest. As you know, a Slovak company is building a ‘smart village’ in the Garabagh region. In addition, our Export-Import Bank is ready to finance various projects.

In conclusion, I would like to note that Azerbaijan and Slovakia are friendly countries. Our ties can become even closer. I am glad that the Hungarian airline Wizz Air is actively connecting our countries and increasing the number of flights. Direct flights from Bratislava Airport to Baku can now be launched, as these are two dynamically developing regions, and we have already discussed this topic.

Mr. President, I welcome you once again to Bratislava. I am sure that your official visit will mark the beginning of a new and important stage in our cooperation. I am very pleased that we will meet again soon. Thank you once again for accepting my invitation. Of course, we met in Baku, but the Slovak President has not yet paid an official visit to Azerbaijan.

Once again, Mr. President, welcome to Slovakia!

X X X

Then, the President of Azerbaijan made the statement.

Statement by President Ilham Aliyev

– Dear Mr. President,

Dear friends,

Mr. President, first of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for the invitation and for the hospitality extended.

I am sure that my official visit to Slovakia will have a very positive impact on the relations between our two countries.

As you have noted, this is the first official visit by the President of Azerbaijan to Slovakia. Of course, the talks we held during the visit, both in a one-on-one format and with the participation of delegations, are further evidence of the fact that Slovakia and Azerbaijan are true friends and strategic partners.

As you mentioned, Slovakia and Azerbaijan signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership last year. It is a document that raises our relations to the highest level. Since that document was signed, we have observed very active cooperation in all areas.

You have already provided extensive information about our bilateral agenda. I would simply like to add that our joint teams are working hard on all the areas you mentioned. The joint economic working group is stepping up its activities. Specific projects are being implemented in the field of energy, which remains a traditional area of our cooperation. Last year, Azerbaijani gas was supplied to Slovakia for the first time. In fact, Azerbaijan can provide Slovakia with any volume of energy resources it may need.

I should also note that our rich gas fields have enabled us to export natural gas to many countries of the world today. The number of countries that purchase Azerbaijani gas has already reached 14. We hold first place as an exporter of gas through pipelines. As a result of the development of new gas fields, we will obtain additional resources, and, of course, it will be possible to supply Azerbaijani gas to both Slovakia and its neighbors in even larger volumes.

Currently, our total gas exports stand at 25 billion cubic meters, half of which is transported to European countries. Today, eight European Union member states provide for their energy security by purchasing Azerbaijani gas.

You have already mentioned another promising area of cooperation, which is the defense industry. We view cooperation in this area from the standpoint of industrial development. We do not intend to wage war. Wars are already a matter of the past for us. Simply put, by creating synergy and combining Slovak technologies with Azerbaijani financial capabilities, the production of new products may be of interest to world markets. Moreover, this will also bring us great benefits as a direction of technological development. We are working on specific projects in this area.

Exactly a month ago, on November 8, we celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Victory in the war of liberation, and it was a great pleasure to see the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Slovakia among our honored guests. We are grateful to the Slovak state and government for that. Such gestures once again show that we are, in the true sense of the word, friendly countries. Relevant government representatives have received instructions in all directions to raise cooperation to an even higher level in the coming years.

We are very pleased with Slovakia’s successful development under your leadership. There is stability and economic development in your country. Slovakia has very strong industrial potential. The fact that Slovakia pursues an independent foreign policy has earned you special respect. In some cases, you face certain difficulties because of this, but it does not deter you, and there is great respect for your country and leadership in our region.

Azerbaijan has long defined its foreign policy priorities. At the same time, we are currently playing the role of a bridge between East and West. The investments we have made in infrastructure, connectivity, and the transport sector have enabled Azerbaijan to become an important component of the East-West transport corridor. We are heavily involved in the Middle Corridor project. The most reliable and safest route connecting Central Asia with Europe passes through the territory of Azerbaijan.

In the coming years, we will expand our capabilities by investing additional funds in connectivity and transport. I believe that we should not overlook this area while developing relations between Slovakia and Azerbaijan, because it has great potential.

In addition, we discussed information technologies and the creation of data centers today. Azerbaijan’s advantage here is that we have substantial energy potential. Today, the unused energy potential in Azerbaijan is about 2 gigawatts, and it will increase to 8 gigawatts over the next five years. Of course, energy is one of the key factors for the operation of artificial intelligence and data centers. Climate is also an important factor here. Although we are a southern country, we also have very cold regions with frosty weather prevailing for most of the year. Therefore, we see our role as a hub for international data centers and intend to work with Slovak companies in this direction.

Mr. President, I would like to thank you once again for your hospitality. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan. You have visited Azerbaijan many times, but you have not yet been there on an official visit as President. If you have time, we would be ready and pleased to welcome you to Azerbaijan next year. Thank you very much again.