Erdogan reaffirms Türkiye's support for Azerbaijan peace in Shusha

Shusha Declaration 'reinforces brotherhood'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday reaffirmed Ankara's backing for Azerbaijan's peace efforts in the South Caucasus during a visit to Shusha marking the sixth anniversary of Karabakh's liberation. "Just as we have supported Azerbaijan's just struggle, we also support its sincere efforts to establish lasting peace in our region," Erdogan said at a joint news conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, according to Anadolu Agency.

The Turkish leader hailed the Shusha Declaration signed on June 15, 2021 as the cornerstone of their elevated alliance, stating: "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 also praised Baku's reconstruction work, saying: "We greatly appreciate Azerbaijan's efforts to rebuild Karabakh and restore the region to its former vitality," while emphasizing the "one nation, two states" principle.

Baku praises Ankara's wartime solidarity

Aliyev expressed profound gratitude for Türkiye's support during the 44-day Second Karabakh War in 2020, noting that Azerbaijan would never forget the solidarity shown by Erdogan and the Turkish people. "Throughout the 44 days of the Second Karabakh War, you (President Erdogan) and the brotherly Turkish people stood by our side. This will never be forgotten," Aliyev said, describing the unity between the nations as "eternal and unshakable."

The Azerbaijani president warned that attempts to drive a wedge between Baku and Ankara would never succeed. "Our unity and brotherhood with Türkiye are unshakable. Those who seek to drive a wedge between us will never succeed," he said. The leaders met in Shusha to commemorate the 2020 victory that ended decades of Armenian occupation and opened what Erdogan described as a new era in the South Caucasus.