Exploring Azerbaijan And Ukraine's Proximity And Relations

Azerbaijan and Ukraine have been close allies since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1992. The two countries have supported each other in entering international organisations and have established strong diplomatic relations. Azerbaijan is Ukraine's only strategic ally in the South Caucasus region, and the two countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Eastern Partnership, and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. In terms of distance, Azerbaijan and Ukraine are approximately 1,267.5 miles or 1,593 kilometres apart.

Azerbaijan is Ukraine's closest ally in the South Caucasus

Azerbaijan and Ukraine have enjoyed close relations since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, and Azerbaijan has since played an important role in Ukraine's foreign policy.

Ukraine has supported Azerbaijan's position in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict against Armenia. In 2020, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine supports Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and would not provide military assistance to either state. This is in contrast to Russia, which has supplied military hardware to Armenia, and Belarus, which has done the same for Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has also provided significant humanitarian aid to Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion. As of June 2023, the volume of Azerbaijan's humanitarian aid to Ukraine exceeds 1,000 tons and $20 million. Azerbaijan has also supported Ukraine in the United Nations.

In addition to diplomatic and humanitarian support, Azerbaijan and Ukraine also have strong economic ties. Ukraine is considered Azerbaijan's second most important trade partner after the Russian Federation, and Azerbaijan grants Ukraine exclusive conditions for oil supply. The trade turnover between the two countries reached $1.4 billion in 2010, with Azerbaijan gaining $909 million and Ukraine retaining $558 million from their mutual trade partnership.

Azerbaijan is also one of Ukraine's main military partners, after Turkey and Israel. Azeri officers are trained in Ukrainian military academies, and Ukraine supplies various technical assistance and military hardware to Azerbaijan.

Given the breadth and depth of their cooperation across various sectors, it can be argued that Azerbaijan is Ukraine's closest ally in the South Caucasus.

Azerbaijan is helping Ukraine with the transit of gas from Russia

Azerbaijan and Ukraine are around 1,275 miles apart. The two countries have had close relations since they gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1992. Azerbaijan has been helping Ukraine with the transit of gas from Russia, as the current transit agreement between the two countries is set to expire at the end of 2024.

Azerbaijan has been approached by both Ukraine and the EU to facilitate the potential extension of the Russia-Ukraine gas deal. The EU has also proposed that Azerbaijan run its gas through a pipeline that currently brings Russian fuel to the EU via Ukraine. This would keep natural gas flowing to Europe while cutting out Russia. The EU has stated that it is willing to let the current deal expire as it believes it has enough energy supplies from other sources. However, several Central European countries, including Slovakia and Hungary, still rely on the pipeline for industry and heating homes.

The five-year gas transit deal between Russia and Ukraine impacts countries that import Russian gas via Ukraine, such as Austria and Slovakia. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has stated that these countries would be in serious trouble without Russian pipeline flows via Ukraine. He also said that Azerbaijan is in negotiations with Russia on this matter and is considering different options to contribute to the process. Aliyev has also mentioned that Azerbaijan is looking to enlarge the geography of gas importers from Europe.

The pipeline has been a significant source of energy for Europe, carrying roughly 15 billion of the 25 billion cubic meters of Russian gas that went to Europe in 2023. The system links up Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. In 2024, Russia's gas transit volumes via Ukraine are expected to total 14 billion cubic meters.

Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU has been strengthening its energy ties with Azerbaijan. In 2022, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan to effectively double Europe's gas supply from the country. Azerbaijan is also seeking to use the COP 29 UN climate talks to bolster investments in both renewable energy and its fossil fuel industry.

Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Azerbaijan has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The country has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine on multiple occasions, with the first shipment arriving in Kyiv on 27 February 2022, just three days after the Russian invasion. Azerbaijan has sent medicines, medical supplies, and food products to Ukraine, with the total amount of humanitarian aid reaching approximately 15 million euros (around 17 million dollars). In June 2023, Azerbaijan provided Ukraine with twenty tons of fuel, water pipes, water pumps, and life jackets in response to Russia's targeting of the Kakhovka dam. Azerbaijan has also funded the reconstruction of a secondary school in Irpin, a town that faced a severe Russian attack in March.

Additionally, approximately 90 Ukrainian children affected by the conflict were brought to Azerbaijan to undergo medical and socio-psychological rehabilitation. Azerbaijan has also provided free gas and petroleum to vehicles in Ukraine used for humanitarian missions, such as delivering aid to internally displaced people, ambulances, and fire trucks.

In June 2023, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met for the first time since the Russian invasion at the Summit of the European Political Community in Moldova. During the meeting, Zelenskyy thanked the Azerbaijani side for its support for Ukraine in the United Nations.

Azerbaijan has also started to support Ukraine in the military sector. On 10 August, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Ukraine announced that the country's demining experts would train Ukrainian sappers in the territory of Azerbaijan. This cooperation is of great value to Ukraine, as Azerbaijan can share its technical know-how and experience with Ukraine in demining territories in Eastern Ukraine.

Azerbaijan and Ukraine have similar foreign policy strategies

Azerbaijan and Ukraine have had a close friendship since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1992. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM), and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). Azerbaijan and Ukraine support each other in entering international organizations.

Azerbaijan plays an important role in Ukraine's foreign policy due to its strategic role in the region. Ukraine is considered Azerbaijan's second most important trade partner after the Russian Federation. Ukraine is one of Azerbaijan's main import partners, and Azerbaijan grants Ukraine exclusive conditions for oil supply. The main goods imported from Ukraine to Azerbaijan are metallurgy products, machine-building products, agro-industrial products, and chemical industry products. Azerbaijan exports to Ukraine products of the fuel energy industry, chemical industry products, and agro-industrial products. The trade turnover between the two countries reached $1.4 billion in 2010.

Ukraine supports Azerbaijan's position in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict against Armenia. Azerbaijan has also supported Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. During the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would not provide military assistance to either state. Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion.

Both countries have established diplomatic missions in their respective capitals. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine has an embassy in Baku.

Azerbaijan has an embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine has an embassy in Baku

Azerbaijan and Ukraine have enjoyed close diplomatic relations since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The two countries first established diplomatic relations in 1992, and Azerbaijan opened an embassy in Kyiv in 1997. The Azerbaijani embassy is located at 24 Hlybochytska Street in Kyiv. The Ukrainian embassy in Baku was established in 1996 and is located at Vizirova Street 49 Gandjlik, Baku 1069 Azerbaijan. The Ukrainian embassy provides consular services to local, Ukrainian, and international citizens in Azerbaijan, including visa and passport services. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Eastern Partnership, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), and the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM), which was founded by Azerbaijan and Ukraine along with Georgia and Moldova.

The distance between Ukraine and Azerbaijan is approximately 1,267.5 miles, and transport between the two countries has been disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. However, it is still possible to travel between Ukraine and Azerbaijan by bus and plane, with a total travel time of around 11 hours.

Azerbaijan and Ukraine have a close strategic, political, economic, and cultural relationship. Azerbaijan plays an important role in Ukraine's foreign policy due to its strategic position in the region. Ukraine is one of Azerbaijan's main import partners, and Azerbaijan grants Ukraine exclusive conditions for oil supply. The trade turnover between the two countries has fluctuated over the years, with the highest point reached in 2011 at approximately $1.5 billion. Ukraine is also one of Azerbaijan's main military partners, providing training for Azeri officers in Ukrainian military academies and supplying various technical assistance.

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