Türkiye's first lady hails Azerbaijan Victory Day in Shusha visit

Emine Erdogan traveled to Azerbaijan alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to commemorate the fourth anniversary of Baku's Victory Day, marking the 2020 liberation of Karabakh with a series of high-level meetings in the historic city of Shusha.

Visit to liberated territories

The first lady of Türkiye and her husband arrived at Fuzuli International Airport, where Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva welcomed the delegation. During the arrival ceremony, Erdogan and Aliyev presented flowers to each other's wives, while Aliyeva warmly embraced Emine Erdogan, according to Türkiye's Presidency. The presidential couples subsequently traveled to the Shusha Governor's Office, where the Aliyevs officially received their counterparts from Türkiye for bilateral discussions.

Bilateral meetings

Emine Erdogan held a dedicated meeting with Mehriban Aliyeva at the governor's compound, with Leyla Aliyeva—the daughter of the Azerbaijani presidential couple—also in attendance. The two first ladies later proceeded to the Khankendi Congress Center to attend an official dinner hosted in honor of the visiting delegation. The meetings underscored the deep fraternal ties between the two nations, which have strengthened considerably since the 2020 conflict.

Tributes to fallen heroes

The visit coincides with Azerbaijan's Nov. 8 Victory Day celebrations, which honor the country's triumph in the 44-day Karabakh War that ended in November 2020. In a message posted on the Türkiye-based social media platform NSosyal, Emine Erdogan extended her congratulations to the Azerbaijani people and paid tribute to those who died in the fighting. "I wholeheartedly congratulate Azerbaijan on Nov. 8 Victory Day, a day whose joy and pride we share," she said, adding: "I remember with mercy and gratitude all the heroes of brotherly Azerbaijan who sacrificed their lives for this historic victory."