Ukraine eyes stronger Azerbaijan ties through Middle Corridor cooperation

Ukraine is seeking to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan as part of its broader engagement with the South Caucasus and Central Asia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said following talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in Kyiv.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Sybiha said the ministers discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in transport and logistics, with particular emphasis on the development of the Middle Corridor, a strategic trade route linking Asia and Europe, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

"Cooperation with the South Caucasus and Central Asia is important for us. These trade routes are also linked to our cooperation with the European Union. We are interested in developing this direction. We discussed how we can deepen this cooperation," Sybiha said.

The discussions also focused on regional security in the South Caucasus and the Middle East, as well as ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine.

According to Sybiha, the Ukrainian side briefed Azerbaijan on Kyiv's latest peace initiatives and highlighted Baku's constructive role in promoting regional stability and supporting diplomatic efforts.

The Ukrainian foreign minister also expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev, and the Azerbaijani people for the assistance provided since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war.

"The restoration of civilian infrastructure in Irpin, humanitarian aid, equipment for energy facilities, and much more. We will always remember this," he said.

Addressing economic ties, Sybiha noted that bilateral trade between Azerbaijan and Ukraine has recovered to approximately $600 million, while stressing Kyiv's ambition to restore trade to pre-war levels.

"We have set ourselves the goal of returning trade turnover to the pre-war level. At present, it stands at around $600 million," the minister said.

The two sides also agreed to convene the next meeting of the Azerbaijan-Ukraine Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in Ukraine, underscoring their commitment to expanding economic collaboration.

Sybiha said Ukraine highly values Azerbaijani investment and looks forward to a broader presence of Azerbaijani companies in the country, as well as the launch of new joint projects.

Before the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $922.4 million in 2021, highlighting the potential for further growth as economic ties continue to recover.

By Vafa Guliyeva