Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Shusha on Sunday to participate in celebrations marking the sixth anniversary of the liberation of Karabakh, an occasion celebrated in Azerbaijan as Victory Day. During a joint news conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s steadfast support for Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to secure lasting peace within the South Caucasus region. He stated, “Just as we have supported Azerbaijan’s just struggle, we also support its sincere efforts to establish lasting peace in our region.”
Erdogan noted that the liberation of Azerbaijani territories during the 44-day Second Karabakh War in 2020 served as the catalyst for a new era in the South Caucasus. Expressing his pleasure at being in Karabakh, the Turkish president conveyed his respect on behalf of the Turkish nation and paid tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the liberation of Shusha. He also commended the reconstruction initiatives currently being carried out by Baku, noting that the international community appreciates the efforts to restore the region's vitality.
The bond between the two nations, often described by the principle of “one nation, two states,” was a central theme of the event. Erdogan reflected on the historical trials that have forged the current advanced level of bilateral cooperation. He explicitly referenced the Shusha Declaration signed on June 15, 2021, which elevated the partnership to an official alliance. The president warned that those attempting to weaken this brotherhood would fail, asserting that the pride of Shusha and the happiness of Baku are inseparable from the Turkish nation. “Those seeking to weaken our brotherhood, reinforced by the alliance we forged with the declaration signed in Shusha on June 15, 2021, will never achieve their goals, now or in the future, just as they failed in the past,” he said.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed his deep gratitude for the solidarity demonstrated by Türkiye throughout the 44-day conflict. He remarked that the support provided by Erdogan and the Turkish people was instrumental in boosting Azerbaijani morale during what is referred to in Baku as the Patriotic War. Aliyev highlighted that the liberation of Shusha concluded three decades of occupation and represented a definitive turning point in the history of Azerbaijan. Describing the unity between the two countries as “eternal and unshakable,” Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan would never forget the backing it received. He further noted that under Erdogan’s leadership, Türkiye has successfully solidified its position as a global power, and he emphasized that the two nations will never allow anyone to damage their ties.
