Diplomacy in the premier league On Aliyev’s visit to New York

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s visit to New York to participate in the landmark 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly was an event that went far beyond standard diplomatic protocol. Serving as a clear demonstration of Baku’s growing international authority, it reaffirmed that Azerbaijan has secured a firm place in the global arena. 

The numerous meetings and negotiations held in the United States were not merely part of the head of state’s busy schedule, but also a confirmation of an obvious fact: international interest in Azerbaijan is now stable and steadily increasing. Importantly, all these meetings were initiated exclusively by foreign partners, adding special symbolic and political significance.

The nature of these discussions highlighted Azerbaijan’s role as a state actively promoting peace and stability in the South Caucasus. The international community perceives Baku not only as a key regional actor but also as a partner capable of shaping the global agenda and making a tangible contribution to strengthening peace. In this regard, the emphasis placed by world leaders during meetings with President Aliyev is particularly telling: nearly all highlighted the historic significance of the agreements recently reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington.

In particular, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis congratulated President Aliyev on the normalisation of relations with Armenia and the historic Washington meeting, highlighting the importance of these achievements for regional peace. A notable detail: it was during Finland’s chairmanship of the OSCE that the decision was made to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group. This is highly significant, as it formally marked the “end” of a mechanism that had failed for decades and had become entirely irrelevant in the post-conflict period.

Among the key moments of the current visit to New York was the participation of President Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva in the official reception marking the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, hosted on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The dialogue between Aliyev and Trump at the reception demonstrated that relations—both between the two leaders and their countries—have reached a new level.

Speaking at the official reception, Trump said: Armenia and Azerbaijan. I want to thank you, my friend. Twenty-two years you said you were there, right? Twenty-two years. And for twenty-two years you were at war.

President Ilham Aliyev: Even more.

President Donald Trump: More than that?

President Ilham Aliyev: Over 30 years. You did a miracle, Mr. President. Thank you.

President Donald Trump: And I made some friends. Thank you. It was great. We had a great meeting today with the leaders of countries right in that area. They're Middle Eastern. They're great people. They're friends of mine. And we've got to get them back, and we've got to get that war over fast. We want to do it fast. And we've come with, I think, a really good plan. And I think it can be implemented fast.

I don't know if we can implement it as fast as your plan. All those years, it took courage to achieve this. And it's really because of you and your new friend. Really good. How's it working out? Good? No shooting? No nothing?

President Ilham Aliyev: No, no. Everything is finished on August 8.

President Donald Trump: I'm very proud of you. Good. Great job.

So I met some of you in the room and I know so many of you. You're amazing people. You're leaders at the highest level. What you're doing is amazing. Think of it — all those millions of people in your countries, and you're leading your country and you're leading the world. That's why you're here. And I just want to let you know it's an honor to be with you. I look forward to shaking your hand. And we're going to have a lot of fun together. We're going to live in a peaceful world.

📹 Видео из Нью-Йорка: от имени президента США Дональда Трампа и первой леди Мелании Трамп был организован официальный приём по случаю 80-й сессии Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН. В мероприятии приняли участие Президент Азербайджана Ильхам Алиев и первая леди Мехрибан Алиева.

Выступая… pic.twitter.com/YCUuHuO5m0

— Caliber (@Caliberaz) September 24, 2025

The statements made by the U.S. President to Ilham Aliyev, along with the confidential and constructive nature of their dialogue, demonstrated that relations between the two countries have indeed reached a new level of trust. Washington’s support for Azerbaijan’s peace initiatives and its recognition of the country’s leading role in resolving the conflict with Armenia not only strengthened Baku’s position in the region but also reinforced its image as a responsible international partner.

A significant aspect of the visit was the engagement with countries representing different continents, reflecting the multidirectional nature of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. The meeting with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted both countries’ readiness to deepen cooperation and expand political consultations, indicating that Azerbaijan is perceived not only as a regional power but also as a partner with an important voice in European and international institutions. 

At the same time, the meeting with Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto showed that interest in Azerbaijan extends far beyond Europe. The opening of the Azerbaijani embassy in Nairobi marked an important step in developing bilateral relations, with discussions now underway on cooperation in energy, agriculture, industry, and other sectors. Exchanges on collaboration within international organisations further confirmed that Africa regards Baku as a reliable and promising partner.

Thus, the totality of the meetings, covering a wide range of topics and an extensive geographic scope, confirms that Azerbaijan is today perceived as a dynamically developing country, capable of influencing regional processes while simultaneously offering solutions of global significance. For the international community, it has become an integral part of the architecture of security and economic development—a fact clearly demonstrated during President Aliyev’s visit to New York.

In a broader context, these developments reflect Azerbaijan’s consistent transformation into a state that confidently extends beyond a purely regional role. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the country demonstrates the ability to independently shape and advance a peace-oriented agenda, initiate major projects, and act as a connecting link between different centres of power. 

The visit to New York provided further confirmation that the international community perceives Azerbaijan as a reliable partner whose position commands respect and trust. In times of global instability, countries like this serve as guarantors that dialogue can yield tangible results.

Thus, under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, Azerbaijan has not only defended its national interests but has also managed to turn them into a foundation for a broader international agenda, strengthening its influence on a global scale.