Korotchenko: Azerbaijan's contribution to CIS summit to be one of key factors

The upcoming visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Russia to participate in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) summit of heads of state is set to be a resounding success, Igor Korotchenko, Director General of the Caspian Institute for Strategic Studies, told journalists in Moscow, Report informs.

"Azerbaijan has risen to the level of Russia's strategic partner," Korotchenko stated. "Firstly, the country has restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty and is confidently developing and moving forward. Most importantly, there is trust, honesty, and reliability between the two countries' presidents, Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev. The presidents, as well as the states, may rely on each other."

Korotchenko noted that in the current environment, where powerful states sometimes try to manipulate, and pressure other sovereign states, Azerbaijan and Russia resolutely defend their interests.

"Russia and Azerbaijan are among the countries that cannot be pressured or manipulated," he emphasized. "We are self-sufficient, and this is the most crucial quality. Self-sufficiency is primarily based on the stability of the political system, economy, and finance, but most importantly, it is about always and everywhere protecting national interests. That is why our presidents are politicians who prioritize the defense of national interests in their activities. Thanks to this, I believe that Russian-Azerbaijani relations have a bright future. We will develop and strengthen cooperation in all areas."

Korotchenko also pointed out that regional alliances within the CIS format are being strengthened. "The bonds that have united us in the past and continue to do so today are our human relationships, economic ties, and, most importantly, our shared understanding of how we can support and strengthen each other. In this sense, I believe that the upcoming summit will be successful, and Azerbaijan, as always, will make not only a positive but also one of the main contributions to the summit. Therefore, we warmly welcome the visit of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to Russia. He is a great friend of Russia and an outstanding political figure of our time. We are certain that the negotiations, both multilateral and bilateral, will be successful,” he concluded.