Aliyev has crossed the red line in relations with Putin: Is Russia finally losing?
13-07-2026 15:11 Politics
1in.am On July 13, Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the "fourth global media forum" in occupied Shushi and delivered an extensive speech before the participants, from which, perhaps, several of his "confessions" can be highlighted.
Aliyev first emphasized that the Turkey-Azerbaijan relations "have no second example in the world" and stressed that since the signing of the "Shushi Declaration" in 2021, the two countries are "not only brothers but also allies." He then publicly stated for the first time that Azerbaijan is in a "war on its southern and northern borders," evidently referring to the Russian-Ukrainian and Iranian-American armed conflicts.
He also publicly declared for the first time that Ukraine "should never reconcile with occupation" and assured that Azerbaijan will always support its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Regarding Iran, Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan supports Islamic solidarity but, unfortunately, more often "witnesses baseless criticisms." It seems that in Iranian-Azerbaijani relations, there has been "no common statement." Aliyev effectively indicated that he supports peace between Iran and the United States but does not defend and will not defend the position of official Tehran.
Apparently, he made that "revelation" as a tribute to U.S. President Donald Trump. Aliyev emphasized several times that, unlike Biden, Trump is a "proponent of peace." In this context, he again spoke about the "injustice" of the 907th amendment of the Freedom Support Act, stressing that this "anti-Azerbaijani" amendment was also adopted thanks to Joe Biden, who was a Democratic senator in 1992.
There is no doubt that Aliyev views this crucial issue within the "package" of U.S.-Turkey relations. According to his logic, if Turkey and Azerbaijan are "not only brothers but also allies," then the lifting of sanctions imposed by Washington against Ankara should also apply to the 907th amendment. It should be emphasized that this law adopted by the U.S. Congress recognizes Azerbaijan as a country that is waging war against Nagorno-Karabakh and blockading Armenia, which cannot be an ally of the United States.
Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan "meets the standards of a middle country." This is, of course, an assessment that does not correspond to reality in any way, but it reveals his goal—to achieve a strategic alliance with the U.S. while being squeezed between Iran and Russia and to guarantee Azerbaijan's long-term security. What counterweights or balances Armenia can acquire is the super task of the coming years. For now, it can be noted that on July 13, Ilham Aliyev "crossed the red line" in relations with Vladimir Putin. Is Russia definitively losing in Ukraine?
* This text was automatically translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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