Azerbaijani President Aliyev calls Trump's victory "big disappointment" for Armenia

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has described President Donald Trump’s victory as a “big disappointment” for Armenia during his address at the international forum themed “Facing the New World Order” at ADA University. 

The Azerbaijani leader addressed a broad spectrum of geopolitical issues, reflecting on Armenia’s stance, the evolving U.S.-Azerbaijan relationship, and regional alliances. He highlighted the persistent challenges Azerbaijan faces in navigating these complex dynamics, as reported by Caliber.Az through local media.

President Aliyev noted that the victory of President Trump in the U.S. elections was a significant setback for Armenia. "They (Armenia – red.) counted very much on democratic administration to continue after the elections. So, for them, the victory of President Trump was a big disappointment and frustration," Aliyev said. He emphasized that while Armenia's political establishment remains unified on the issue of Azerbaijan, the danger of future military conflict persists. "Until peace agreement is signed and Armenia puts down completely all territorial claims to Azerbaijan, which still exists in the Constitution, and demonstrates sincere behavior to normalize relations with Azerbaijan, still, there will always be a threat of new military standoff,” the president stressed.

Aliyev also addressed the strained relations between the United States and Azerbaijan under the Biden-Blinken administration. "During the times of Biden-Blinken administration, relations between the United States and Azerbaijan can be characterized as relations in crisis. And the reason for that was not us," he remarked. "We always wanted to have good relations with the United States, which is the strongest country in the world."

The president criticized the U.S. for its shifting policies, referencing the re-imposition of Section 907 to the Freedom Support Act after the withdrawal from Afghanistan. "As soon as they (US troops – ed.) ran away from Afghanistan, they re-imposed this amendment against us again," Aliyev said, adding that such actions harmed the credibility of the administration. "Being so unthankful is very harmful for the administration itself, because who will trust them after that? Our level of trust to Biden-Blinken team was close to zero. Our relations were in deep crisis."

On the topic of Armenia's military developments, Aliyev raised concerns about the ongoing militarization, calling it a destabilizing factor. "Deadly weapons, which have been supplied by new Armenian friends actually, will not truly lead to peace and stability. It will only lead to potential tension in the future," he said, emphasizing the presence of revanchist groups in Armenia.

Aliyev also discussed Azerbaijan’s restored territorial integrity and the ongoing challenges in ensuring long-term stability in the region. "We restored our territorial integrity, sovereignty, put an end to separatism and took control of our borders. For us, this issue is done. But it doesn't mean that we will just ignore potential threats and potential danger. We must always be ready to push back," he stated.

The president reflected on the conduct of Azerbaijan’s military during the Second Karabakh War, asserting that the country’s armed forces demonstrated exceptional capability. "We did not take revenge, though, one can imagine what feelings we all lived with through the years of occupation, especially when we returned to Karabakh and have seen the barbarism and vandalism," he said. "We conducted the war with respect to all international rules and our own understanding about values."

Finally, Aliyev spoke on the successful reconciliation between Türkiye and Israel, noting Azerbaijan’s role in facilitating dialogue between the two nations. "The first successful reconciliation between Türkiye and Israel was to a certain degree facilitated by Azerbaijan. So during the first crisis, we played active role in order to try to bring countries closer," he explained. He also highlighted Azerbaijan’s strong relationships with both countries, stating, "With Türkiye, we are allies. We signed the Shusha Declaration in 2021, and formally became allies. And Israel is a friendly country to Azerbaijan, and for many years, mutual friendship have been demonstrated in difficult times for both of us."

Aliyev expressed concern over tensions between Türkiye and Israel but reaffirmed Azerbaijan's commitment to regional stability and cooperation.

By Vugar Khalilov