Middle East breakthrough Azerbaijan among the world’s architects

Today, the Peace Summit took place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The goals of the event were to end the war in the Gaza Strip, intensify efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability.

The summit followed the recently unveiled peace plan presented by President Trump. As is known, Israel and Hamas agreed on the first stage of the plan, under which Hamas would return all living hostages and the remaining bodies of the deceased to Israel, while Israel would release around two thousand Palestinian prisoners and withdraw its troops from central Gaza. The latter has already been taking place over the past few days, and today Hamas handed over twenty remaining living hostages to Israel, prompting celebrations in the Jewish state.

To share in Israel’s joy, Trump arrived there in the morning. He delivered a heartfelt speech to members of the Knesset before heading to Sharm El-Sheikh.

The forum, co-chaired by the presidents of the United States and Egypt, brought together leaders from more than 20 countries, including, at the personal invitation of Donald Trump and Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. This was by no means a coincidence.

As noted in his post accompanying a video from the Peace Summit, Azerbaijani President’s aide and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, Hikmat Hajiyev, stated:

"President İlham Aliyev attends [the] Middle East Peace Summit in Sharm El Sheikh. It is [a] reflection of Azerbaijan’s growing regional role and its Global foreign policy as [a] middle power. Azerbaijan is the desirable partner for all parties for the regional peace agenda in the Middle East."

Indeed, with the restoration of its territorial integrity and full sovereignty, Azerbaijan has not only strengthened its international standing but has also effectively leveraged it to enhance its experience as a mediator. It is worth recalling that Baku has served as a venue for negotiations between Turkish and Israeli representatives to resolve contentious issues related to the situation in Syria, as well as for direct meetings between Israeli and Syrian delegations.

Azerbaijan has also bolstered its authority in the Middle East region, including by achieving agreements on natural gas deliveries to Syria. Therefore, the invitation extended to President Aliyev by the leaders of the United States and Egypt reflects both recognition of Azerbaijan’s increasingly influential role and the personal trust-based relationships developed among the heads of these three states.

It is worth recalling that in August of this year, Trump played a key role in establishing a de facto peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Now, the U.S. president is helping to end the war in the Gaza Strip. The situation here, however, is somewhat more complex than in the South Caucasus. Too many contradictions remain in this conflict-ridden part of the world, reflected in the fact that the ceasefire agreement was not signed directly by Israel and Hamas, but by their authorised representatives.

Regardless, the document has been signed, and the very fact that it bears the signature of the U.S. president highlights the high stakes involved. Yet, no matter how long the truce in Gaza lasts, the results achieved so far are already a significant accomplishment of Donald Trump. Israeli hostages have returned home, and Gaza remains unoccupied, gaining a chance for reconstruction.

It is particularly notable that during the signing ceremony and afterwards, President Trump repeatedly addressed President Aliyev, signalling the American leader’s respectful attitude towards the Azerbaijani president.

Footage (link 1, link 2, link 3, link 4, link 5, link 6, link 7, link 8) showing President Aliyev meeting on the sidelines of the summit with leaders of numerous countries and international organisations serves as further confirmation of Azerbaijan’s growing role on the global stage. The participation of President Aliyev in such a pivotal event for the entire Middle East instills in the citizens of Azerbaijan a well-deserved sense of pride in their country and the role it plays in the world’s geopolitical arena.