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Azerbaijan marked five years since the Second Karabakh War, with President Ilham Aliyev announcing plans to bring the country’s military to NATO standards following the US-brokered end to the decades-long conflict with Armenia, and holding a military parade to celebrate victory and peace in the region.
Aliyev celebrated Victory Day as an important achievement in breaking away from the past thanks to strategic economic and military developments, while highlighting the ongoing reconstruction in Karabakh.
The Azerbaijani president also expressed his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for their support during the conflict, noting that Pakistani military personnel participated in the parade for the first time.
“This is a demonstration of the solidarity of the peoples and militaries of the three countries: Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan,” Aliyev said.
The Turkish president said the victory in Karabakh had rebuilt the geopolitical balance across Asia and Europe and “opened the door to a new era in our region.”
“We hold no grudges and will never allow the painful chapters of the past to be repeated. We therefore see this victory not as an end, but as a milestone towards lasting peace in the Caucasus,” Erdoğan said, adding that “peace in the Caucasus will serve the prosperity of the entire region.”
Azerbaijan to comply with NATO standards
In a meeting with a NATO delegation in Baku last Thursday, Aliyev said that the Azerbaijani army intends to follow NATO standards and is cooperating with the Turkish military.
Aliyev said the country has achieved its main objective of restoring territorial integrity and that defense reform remains a priority.
In addition to its previous participation in peacekeeping operations, Azerbaijan’s cooperation with NATO also extends to energy security and regional connectivity.
In August, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia signed an agreement aimed at ending the decades-old Karabakh conflict.
The White House said that as part of the agreement, the United States will also help build a central transportation corridor named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).
For Baku, the corridor will provide a direct land connection to Nakhchivan, strengthen ties with Turkey and consolidate post-war gains through infrastructure diplomacy.
This will also strengthen Azerbaijan’s position as an important global transport and logistics hub. Initially, Azerbaijan did not want third parties involved and wanted it to be under Baku’s control without the involvement of the United States, Europe, or Russia.
For Yerevan, this transport route offers an opportunity to further integrate into broader trade networks, diversify its battered economy and attract foreign investment.
Geopolitically, it would also help Armenia normalize relations with its neighbors, especially Türkiye.
The move is largely seen as another step for Baku and Yerevan to carve out a new future for themselves in a new geopolitical reality.
Signing the peace agreement in Washington with US President Donald Trump sent a strong signal to Russia of both countries’ commitment to finding a mutual solution, while refocusing foreign policy toward multipolar options.