Gas, geopolitics, and peace: Azerbaijan’s diplomatic vision explained Full interview with Hikmet Hajiyev

In an exclusive interview with Hospodárske noviny, Hikmet Hajiyev — Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Department for Foreign Policy Issues — outlines Baku’s strategic vision on energy, peace with Armenia, and its balanced diplomacy amid global tensions. From expanding gas supplies to Europe to fostering post-conflict stability in the South Caucasus, Hajiyev explains how Azerbaijan navigates a complex geopolitical landscape while pursuing pragmatic, partnership-based policies.

– Azerbaijan is becoming an increasingly important player in the Caucasus. What role does Central Europe play in your country’s foreign policy course?

– We consider the countries of Central and Eastern Europe our traditional friends and partners. We have historically established ties and friendly relations with them, especially with countries like the Czech Republic and Slovakia. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend the Globsec security conference in Prague in June. Sometimes we diplomatically and with a touch of humor note that it is convenient for us to hold dialogues with our Slovak and Czech friends because we understand each other very well. We have a lot in common; we face similar challenges and difficulties. In this sense, one can say that you are important partners for us, through whom we can convey our messages to the European Union and other international institutions. Taking all these aspects into account, the conclusion is obvious: the countries of Central Europe are our reliable partners.

– In May last year, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico visited Baku along with a delegation of more than 40 entrepreneurs, mostly from the energy and defence sectors. Is energy the key area of cooperation between Azerbaijan and other countries, for example Slovakia?

– Yes, absolutely. Ultimately, it is thanks to energy that we have established very good contacts with Slovakia and other countries. But I would like to emphasise that our relations are based on a historical context. There have always been many human and political ties between us. On this traditional foundation, we are actively developing economic and trade relations. And energy is a key element of Azerbaijan’s cooperation and partnership with the European Union countries.

– What does cooperation in the energy sector look like now?

– Supplies of Azerbaijani gas to the European market are carried out through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. Today, Azerbaijan directly supplies gas to eight European countries, and in total it is used by 12 European countries. We have repeatedly proven that we are a reliable partner. Moreover, cooperation in the gas and energy sectors occurs without any political undertones — it is purely a commercial matter, clean business. Of course, we are interested in the energy security of our partners.

– Energy security is closely linked to the current political situation in the world. Has cooperation in this area increased in recent years, especially since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022?

– Undoubtedly. In 2022, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited Azerbaijan. This happened almost immediately after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. At that time, the European Union faced an urgent need for a new energy impulse. Azerbaijan played a key role in addressing this need. We ensured Europe received the necessary gas supplies. Prime Minister Fico’s visit to Baku was also part of these discussions.

– Would you like Slovakia to become part of your energy business?

– As far as I know, Slovakia has already purchased a certain volume of Azerbaijani gas. We are definitely ready and willing to expand cooperation and increase gas supplies. But for this, a new level of interaction with the EU is necessary, primarily in infrastructure. Azerbaijan has rich gas reserves in the Caspian Sea; however, the capacities of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor are already fully utilised today. They need to be technically expanded. Additionally, Europe also needs gas. Therefore, it is extremely important that both sides approach this issue realistically.

– What do you plan to do in this regard?

– Considering the current global situation, we want to build a new strategic energy cooperation based on the Memorandum of Understanding that we signed with the EU. But for this to become possible, long-term contracts are needed. Right now, the ball is in the European Union’s court. We are simply waiting for their response.

– Do you believe that Azerbaijani gas could fully replace Russian supplies in the long term?

– That has never been our goal — to compete for consumers. We have always aimed for mutually beneficial cooperation. Moreover, if I am correctly informed, Russian gas volumes exceed 100 billion cubic meters. We are not competing with Russia over who can supply Europe with energy resources — our reality is quite different. We have our own capabilities, and I believe that thanks to Azerbaijani gas, the EU will be able to reduce the pressure on the energy security of the Union’s eastern flank.

– Slovakia pursues diplomacy “in all four directions.” Azerbaijan is in a region where countries like Russia, Türkiye, and Iran hold strong positions. Do you also strive to maintain good relations with all the key players?

– I think in politics we often see bias and stereotypes too frequently. Slovakia and Azerbaijan are countries of roughly the same scale. When you hold such a position and are surrounded by neighbours who differ from you in many ways, seeking different models of partnership, in my opinion, is in the interest of your country. Azerbaijan follows such foreign policy as well.

– Let’s explore this in more detail.

– On one side, we have a neighbour — Russia — with whom we try to maintain completely normal relations. On the other side, there is Iran, with whom we also strive for good neighbourly ties. We have good relations with Israel and China as well. Additionally, we are building a productive dialogue with the United States. For us, it is not a question of excluding someone but, on the contrary, of inclusion — integrating into the existing space of interaction. We are convinced that one set of bilateral relations should in no way exclude other formats of cooperation.

– Iran is your traditional partner, but you also have good relations with Israel. In the recent conflict between them, did Azerbaijan take a rather neutral position?

– The recent deterioration of the security situation in the region caused us sincere concern and worry. Such escalation is not in the interest of us or anyone else. On the contrary, it can seriously undermine regional security and stability. This worries us especially because it involves our immediate neighbourhood. We have repeatedly and firmly called for an immediate de-escalation and the use of all diplomatic tools, including dialogue, so that both sides stop acts of aggression and hostility as soon as possible. From our point of view, this is primarily a matter of civilian safety. We are extremely concerned about the lives of people, as we see a significant increase in casualties among civilians. For us, this is absolutely unacceptable.

– Do you support President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s aspiration to become a key player in the region?

– Türkiye has always been a key player. We believe President Erdoğan’s policy deserves special recognition, especially for how he has managed to transform Türkiye and make it a competitive country. But Türkiye is not only a regional player; it has become a true global actor. Just look at what is happening in Russia, Ukraine, the Middle East, the Balkans, or any other region where events of global significance are unfolding today. Türkiye plays a positive role everywhere. And it is extremely important that it continues to perform this role going forward.

– This obviously aligns with Baku’s interests as well, since Türkiye is a historic ally of Azerbaijan. You are connected by language and culture as part of the Turkic peoples.

– The Turks truly are brothers and strategic allies for Azerbaijanis. We even call this relationship “one nation, two states.” Therefore, it is quite natural that, as close brothers of Türkiye, we sincerely welcome the growth of its global position.

– President Erdoğan is trying to act as a peacemaker in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. There has been talk that Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin could make peace in Istanbul. Do you support Ankara’s efforts in this regard?

– Let me say that Türkiye, especially Istanbul, would be an ideal place to make peace. Besides being a wonderful city perfectly suited for such dialogue, this is historically not new — Türkiye has always been a peacemaker. It is enough to consider that through the Black Sea it borders both countries — Russia and Ukraine — and has special relations with them. Furthermore, Türkiye is a NATO member with an important global status. Considering all these factors, I am confident that Türkiye is the right actor to act as a mediator in this conflict. It can provide both sides with the necessary conditions, including all the infrastructure for peace negotiations. I see from Ankara a sincere and serious desire to end this war and achieve peace.

– What position does Baku take in this conflict?

– Russia is our neighbour. We try to maintain completely normal relations with it. Maintaining good relations with all our neighbours is priority number one not only for Azerbaijan but for any other country as well. The same applies to Ukraine. You know very well that during the Soviet Union era, we lived under one roof with Russians and Ukrainians. We have preserved strong human ties with both countries, which continue even after the dissolution of the USSR. Many Azerbaijanis live both in Russia and in Ukraine. We have many mixed marriages. Therefore, what is happening today is a great tragedy for us. Azerbaijanis watch the tragic scenes of this conflict on television and the internet with heavy hearts.

– Above all, people want the war to end?

– Exactly. But I also want to emphasise one more point — a cornerstone of our policy is the principle of territorial integrity. Our country has suffered greatly in the past from violations of this principle. Therefore, we firmly support the protection of the territorial integrity of other states. At the same time, we avoid any involvement in the military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. From our point of view, this is an extremely sad situation.

– However, Türkiye supports Ukraine by supplying drones.

– That is true, but we consciously keep ourselves away from any deliveries of military equipment in this conflict. We only provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, especially to children, who suffer the most. We also supply necessary devices, for example, electric generators. However, we are not involved in any military support and do not participate in such initiatives. This is because Azerbaijan is considered one of the so-called non-aligned countries.

– At the end of May, Prime Minister Fico visited Armenia, where, as an honoured guest, he opened the second round of the Yerevan Dialogue conference. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan devoted a significant part of his speech to relations with Azerbaijan. Can we expect your countries to soon reach a true peace, especially in the context of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (Karabakh region of Azerbaijan – ed. Caliber.Az)? You probably meant this when you spoke about the principle of territorial integrity.

– First of all, I want to emphasise: peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan already exists. The war is over. If you look at our borders, you will see peace and stability. Moreover, I would say that a new status quo has formed in the region, based on legality and legitimacy. Unfortunately, the previous status quo was based on the fact of Armenian military occupation of Azerbaijani territories. But that page has now been turned. We are looking to the future. The text of the peace agreement has been agreed upon.

– Does this mean that peace in Karabakh exists both de facto and de jure?

– It’s a bit more complicated. You can have peace on paper, but the situation on the ground may be different. Right now, we have the opposite situation. There is peace on the ground, the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is stable, and Karabakh is no longer a subject of dispute. Armenian occupation forces have been completely withdrawn from all Azerbaijani territories. But for the peace agreement to fully come into force, one last step is still needed.

– What step remains to be taken?

– We expect Armenia to amend its constitution, which still contains provisions asserting territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, the positive aspect is that we have a bilateral communication channel with Armenia. We discuss problematic issues directly, without any intermediaries. And there are indeed important topics on our agenda. The key point is that elements of military confrontation have been completely removed from our agenda. Yes, a dispute remains between us, but disputes between neighbouring countries are normal. We see them even among some EU member states. But diplomacy and dialogue exist precisely to resolve such disputes. We have succeeded in transforming our relations with Armenia from military confrontation into a state of political disagreement. And I believe that is a good sign.

– Have Azerbaijan’s relations with the United States changed since President Donald Trump came to power?

– Yes, and it was indeed a sharp change. Under President Joe Biden’s administration, we faced certain problems in cooperation with the United States. Unnecessary sanctions were imposed against us. Moreover, that administration lacked a strategic regional vision. But with the arrival of the Trump administration, proposals emerged to raise the level of cooperation all the way to a strategic partnership.

– In some EU countries, you can see petrol stations of Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR — for example, in neighbouring Austria. Is this also a way to introduce Azerbaijan to Europe?

– Not really; this is more of a commercial than a political project. It’s purely business. On the other hand, I believe such cooperation is beneficial for both sides — it’s a win-win situation. Europe is open to any business with Azerbaijan, just as with any other country, as long as it is conducted properly and in full compliance with European legislation. This is absolutely normal. This also applies to the activities of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), which fully adheres to EU laws and regulations. SOCAR also invests in Europe, thereby contributing to strengthening the EU’s energy security.

– Does SOCAR’s business expansion in Europe make the brand more recognisable?

– Yes, ordinary EU citizens use the company’s high-quality services without any problems. SOCAR operates not only in EU member states but also, for example, in Switzerland. But let me repeat — this is business, not politics.

– In Armenia, Prime Minister Fico was accompanied a month ago by representatives of Slovak nuclear energy. Is this topic of interest to Azerbaijan as well?

– At the moment, this is not a subject of discussion in the context of our energy future. We will most likely focus on renewable energy sources and gas.

– What about the defence industry, representatives of which were also part of Fico’s delegation to Baku last year?

– In this area, Slovakia has great potential. It is a country with a developed industrial base, including the defence sector. Azerbaijan is also quite ambitious in this field. Our defence industry is developing dynamically. We are interested in certain specialised segments of the defence sector where our countries could cooperate successfully.