Türkiye bolsters Azerbaijani military as South Caucasus peace talks advance—minister

Türkiye has made notable strides in enhancing the capabilities of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, with programs for military personnel training, assistance, and advisory support actively underway, Turkish Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler said.

He made the remarks during a parliamentary planning and budget commission meeting in Ankara, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Citing a recent milestone, Güler highlighted the Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Mutual Military Security between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, signed in July on the sidelines of the International Defense Industry Fair IDEF 2025 in Istanbul.

Addressing ongoing negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the minister expressed Ankara’s approval of the peace-oriented stance demonstrated by the leaders of both countries during their Washington meeting. “In a period of rising conflicts and crises worldwide, this step carries special value for sustainable peace and stability in the South Caucasus. We hope for the swift signing of a comprehensive peace agreement,” Güler said.

The defence minister also noted Türkiye’s involvement in demining operations in liberated Azerbaijani territories. “In Aghdam, Hadrut, Jabrayil, and Lachin, approximately 593,000 square metres of land have been cleared of mines,” he reported.

Güler further emphasized cooperation in cartography, stating that the Turkish Ministry of Defence’s General Directorate of Mapping has supported efforts to establish a map production line for Azerbaijan, allowing the “brotherly country to prepare its own maps.” He added, “Advisory assistance and support for personnel training in cartography continue.”

By Vafa Guliyeva