Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Azerbaijan’s efforts to establish lasting peace in the South Caucasus, saying the liberation of Karabakh had opened the door to a new era in the region.
“Just as we have supported Azerbaijan’s just struggle, we also support its sincere efforts to establish lasting peace in our region,” Erdogan said at a joint news conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Shusha on Sunday.
The two leaders were marking the sixth anniversary of the liberation of Karabakh, celebrated in Azerbaijan as Victory Day.
A new era in the South Caucasus
Erdogan said Azerbaijan’s liberation of its territories from occupation during the 44-day Second Karabakh War in 2020 had ushered in a new phase in the South Caucasus.
He also praised Baku’s ongoing reconstruction work in the liberated territories. “We greatly appreciate Azerbaijan’s efforts to rebuild Karabakh and restore the region to its former vitality,” he said.
Extending his greetings on the Sixth Victory Day, Erdogan said he was very pleased to be in Karabakh and wholeheartedly conveyed his love and respect on behalf of the Turkish nation and himself. He also remembered the martyrs who gave their lives for the liberation of Shusha.
Brotherhood tested by history
Highlighting the deep-rooted ties between the two countries, Erdogan said relations had reached their current advanced level after passing through various tests of history.
He stressed that the bond, rooted in shared history and the principle of “one nation, two states,” would continue to guide their common future.
“The happiness of Baku cannot be separated from the happiness of Ankara, and the pride of Shusha cannot be separated from the pride of the Turkish nation,” he said.
Erdogan also underlined the significance of the Shusha Declaration, signed on June 15, 2021, which elevated bilateral relations to the level of an alliance.
“Those seeking to weaken our brotherhood, reinforced by the alliance we forged with the declaration signed in Shusha on June 15, 2021, will never achieve their goals, now or in the future, just as they failed in the past,” he said.
Aliyev: Unity ‘eternal and unshakable’
For his part, Aliyev expressed gratitude for Türkiye’s support during the war, saying Azerbaijan would never forget the solidarity shown by Erdogan and the Turkish people.
“Throughout the 44 days of the Second Karabakh War, you and the brotherly Turkish people stood by our side. This will never be forgotten,” Aliyev said, adding that Azerbaijan would always remain indebted to Türkiye.
He said the unwavering support of the Turkish people and their president had boosted Azerbaijani morale during what Baku calls the Patriotic War. The liberation of Shusha, he added, ended 30 years of occupation and marked a turning point in Azerbaijan’s history.
Aliyev described the unity between the two countries as “eternal and unshakable,” saying Azerbaijanis and Turks are brotherly peoples, closer than any other nations.
“Our unity and brotherhood with Türkiye are unshakable. Those who seek to drive a wedge between us will never succeed,” he said, adding that the two states will never allow anyone to damage their ties.
Aliyev also praised Erdogan’s leadership, saying Türkiye has become a global power under it.
