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In a historic first, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid an official visit to Slovakia on December 8, meeting with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini in Bratislava to discuss the future of bilateral relations and avenues for cooperation across multiple sectors.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia have been growing rapidly in recent years, with an expanding cooperation agenda across various sectors. Since establishing diplomatic ties, their collaboration in politics, defense, economics, energy, humanitarian, and cultural fields has increased. Both nations base their relations on mutual respect, equality, and honest dialogue, demonstrating a shared commitment to international law. Recently, Azerbaijan has aimed to boost its activities in the energy sector and has become a significant gas exporter regionally and in Europe.

Slovakia joined this group last year, marking an expansion of energy cooperation and strengthening Azerbaijan's position in the European market. Azerbaijan ranks among the leading pipeline gas exporters, with 14 countries now purchasing its gas. Total exports amount to 25 billion cubic meters, half of which is sent to Europe. Eight EU member states now buy Azerbaijani gas. As the gas industry develops, export opportunities and international cooperation continue to grow, enhancing Azerbaijan's role as a reliable energy partner regionally and in Europe.

Addressing the Azerbaijani delegation, President Pellegrini emphasized the symbolic and strategic importance of the visit:

"It is a great honor for us to welcome you to Slovakia, to Bratislava. You have greatly honored us by deciding to visit Slovakia. This is the first official visit by the President of Azerbaijan in the history of the Slovak Republic… In our view, this visit should send a strong signal: our relations are not only friendly, but they also hold tremendous potential for further development."

Pellegrini recalled the steps already taken to strengthen ties, including the opening of embassies in Baku and Bratislava, the establishment of a joint commission, and exchanges between government officials in various sectors. He highlighted Slovakia’s pressing energy challenges in light of the EU’s planned ban on Russian gas imports, underlining the importance of Azerbaijani gas supplies. The presence of SOCAR’s president in the delegation facilitated detailed discussions on energy cooperation, signaling concrete steps toward diversification of Slovakia’s energy sources.

President İlham Aliyev responded by highlighting the rapid evolution of bilateral relations, which he described as reaching the level of a strategic partnership:

"Today, these relations have reached the level of a strategic partnership… Last year, we began supplying gas to Slovakia, and we are ready to continue doing so whenever appropriate. Our cooperation in the field of defense and the defense industry holds tremendous potential for the future. Important work has already been done, but much remains to be accomplished."

He also pointed to Azerbaijan’s contributions to the reconstruction of Garabagh, emphasizing the broad scope of collaboration that goes beyond energy and defense. The discussions extended to technology and innovation, including the development of data centers leveraging Azerbaijan’s substantial energy capacity and favorable climatic conditions, highlighting opportunities for Slovak companies in high-tech sectors.

In post-visit statements, both leaders underlined the strategic dimension of the partnership. President Pellegrini described Azerbaijan as "a partner of strategic importance in the region," noting that bilateral trade continues to grow and that untapped potential remains across sectors such as defense, advanced technologies, student exchanges, tourism, and culture. He highlighted Slovak expertise in self-propelled artillery, ammunition, and related defense technologies, noting that joint production with Azerbaijan could target global markets.

President Aliyev stressed Azerbaijan’s role as a bridge between East and West, highlighting its strategic investments in infrastructure, transport, and the Middle Corridor connecting Central Asia with Europe. He underscored the potential of Azerbaijan as a regional energy hub, noting that Azerbaijani gas now reaches 14 countries, with half of total exports supplied to Europe. Ilham Aliyev further elaborated on opportunities in the tech sector, pointing to plans to increase unused energy capacity from 2 gigawatts to 8 gigawatts over the next five years, critical for operating data centers and supporting artificial intelligence applications.

The visit also reinforced personal ties between the two nations. Aliyev recalled Slovakia’s participation in Azerbaijan’s military parade marking the fifth anniversary of the country’s victory in the liberation war, noting such gestures as proof of genuine friendship. Pellegrini highlighted direct flights between Bratislava and Baku via Wizz Air as a practical step in strengthening people-to-people and business connections.

What emerged from the visit is clear: Azerbaijan and Slovakia have moved beyond formal goodwill and entered a phase of actionable, mutually beneficial partnership. From diversified gas supplies to joint defense production, from data center development to connectivity corridors, the areas of cooperation are not only broad but strategically aligned.

The meetings in Bratislava, along with the negotiations and messages exchanged, have provided fresh momentum, a new pulse for Azerbaijani-Slovak relations, and once again highlight the success of our country's foreign policy.