The visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Ukraine qualitatively complements the strategic partnership between the two countries in the political, economic, and energy security spheres.
This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky at a briefing on the results of talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart in Kyiv on January 14.
"We discussed in detail all areas of existing cooperation and all opportunities to strengthen it. As a result of the meeting, six bilateral documents on cooperation in agriculture, energy and trade were signed. Their implementation will facilitate investment, strengthen food and energy security, bilateral trade. We have many plans, we talked about them in detail," he said.
He noted that despite the pandemic, trade turnover between the two countries has not decreased, and even for the first time in seven years reached a record level - about $1 billion.
However, Volodymyr Zelensky noted that this is not the upper limit, and today the states have set a new ambitious goal - to double bilateral trade by 2024.
"We are also trying to increase the amount of mutual investments and the number of large-scale joint projects. This includes the participation of Azerbaijani companies in the Great Construction program, as well as the participation of Ukrainian companies in infrastructure projects invited by the President," Zelensky said. Participation in large-scale privatisation was discussed separately. According to the Ukrainian President, this creates prospects for new mutually beneficial projects.
In this context, Volodymyr Zelensky and Ilham Aliyev agreed to hold a meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in the first half of this year.
"The next step is to organise a meeting of the Council of Presidents of Ukraine and Azerbaijan," he said.
The President of Ukraine noted the development of transit potential and the creation of relevant infrastructure as another urgent goal.
"We must intensify cooperation in the field of international road and rail transport, as well as in the field of aviation. We will continue to work together on a number of prospects, including the creation of a transport corridor connecting Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova within GUAM," he flagged.
"I am confident that the agreements we have reached today will mark a new stage in our strategic, historic and very correct cooperation," Volodymyr Zelensky concluded.
In turn, Ilham Aliyev noted that Ukrainian-Azerbaijani relations have many opportunities. There are plans for cooperation in the energy sector, as well as opportunities to expand cooperation in oil refining.
In addition, they discussed the issue of ensuring food security through the establishment of joint ventures in the food industry and joint innovation measures.
"We are ready to cooperate in all areas," said President Aliyev.
Political scientist Shahin Jafarli said that Azerbaijani-Ukrainian relations have always been good.
“The most important issue that caused the overlapping interests of the two countries was the existence of the conflict in the territory of both countries. In this regard, these states have always supported each other's territorial integrity and independence. Another factor is the post-Soviet GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova). It is true that this organisation has not been very active recently. However, during President Aliyev's visit to Ukraine, an agreement was reached to revive this organisation. It was decided to activate GUAM, especially in the economic, transport and communications spheres.”
The political scientist believes that one of the important points of President Aliyev's visit will be Azerbaijan's lease of land from Ukraine and planting of agricultural products.
"This agreement is important for Azerbaijan to ensure its food security by planting food wheat in these lands," Jafarli added.
Asked whether the activation of political activity within GUAM could lead to pressure from Russia, the expert said that Azerbaijan always considers the Russian factor in its activities in GUAM.
