Azerbaijan and Türkiye are actively forming a strategic axis in the South Caucasus, strengthening regional security and developing economic and transport links. Joint defense, infrastructure, and energy projects are strengthening both countries' influence, creating new opportunities for stability, and enhancing their geopolitical significance at the regional and global levels. AZERTAC presents an interview with Turkish academic and expert in international relations, geopolitics, and security Kadir Ertaç Çelik.
- Dr. Çelik, how do you assess the current geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus and the strategic role of Azerbaijan, together with Türkiye, in strengthening regional stability?
- The South Caucasus has historically been a region characterized by intense great-power competition and high geopolitical fragility. In the post-Cold War period, the region’s geostrategic importance has increased further, particularly in the context of energy resources, transportation corridors, and power balances in Eurasia. The geopolitics of the Caucasus have experienced significant shifts following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The power vacuum that emerged created fertile ground for conflict, exemplified by the initial serious geopolitical tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Over the past three decades, persistent conflicts and unresolved disputes have been the primary sources of regional instability and isolation.
The 44-day war in 2020 resulted in a new geopolitical configuration for the region. The restoration of Azerbaijan’s occupied territories established a new regional balance. From this point, Azerbaijan has emerged as the central actor in Caucasus geopolitics, safeguarding its national interests while taking the initiative to position the region as one of the main arenas of global geopolitics. The strategic partnership between Türkiye and Azerbaijan has become a decisive factor in strengthening regional stability. Political coordination, security cooperation, and economic integration between the two countries contribute to a more predictable and stable security environment in the South Caucasus. In this context, Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations form not only a bilateral axis but also a critical geopolitical axis for the institutionalization of regional order.
- How important are the strategic and defense partnerships between Azerbaijan and Türkiye for ensuring the security of the entire region?
- The defense and security cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan can be considered a key component of the regional security architecture. The Türkiye-Azerbaijan strategic and defense partnership primarily serves as a deterrent against forces that could destabilize the region. In addition, this partnership acts as a counterbalance to external actors pursuing imperialist ambitions in the region. It should also be emphasized that this cooperation is not limited to regional security alone. In the Caucasus, the Türkiye-Azerbaijan partnership plays a significant role in ensuring security and stability within the context of Caspian geopolitics and the broader Turkistan region.
- Azerbaijan and Türkiye are actively developing joint infrastructure and transport projects. How do you think these initiatives enhance the economic and geopolitical significance of both countries?
- Infrastructure and transport projects developed by Azerbaijan and Türkiye constitute an essential element of the emerging economic geopolitics in the Eurasian space. The development of East-West trade corridors, in particular, strengthens economic linkages between Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe.
In this process, Azerbaijan and Türkiye are not merely advancing their national economic interests; they are becoming strategic transit countries shaping the logistical backbone of Eurasian trade. Projects such as energy pipelines, railway networks, and logistical corridors enhance the economic capacity of both countries while simultaneously strengthening their geopolitical positions. In the regional geopolitical context following the Second Karabakh War, the Zangezur Corridor project represents a particularly significant development, attracting both the countries’ and the region’s economic relevance to a global scale. Considering the capitalist structure and functioning of the international economic system, states that are located on or control major global trade routes gain not only economic leverage but also increased geopolitical influence, becoming critical actors within the system.
