U.S. Secretary of State Rubio says U.S. and Europe 'belong together' at Munich Security Conference
“The United States and Europe, we belong together,” Marco Rubio declared on the second day of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (14 Febru...
“For me, peace with Armenia is done,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev told France 24 on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, reflecting on six months of calm on the border and progress in trade and regional cooperation.
President Aliyev also referred to the historic trilateral summit at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which produced a Joint Declaration aimed at ending decades of conflict.
“Since that time, more than six months have passed, and we have a very quiet situation on the border with Armenia. No more shootings, no victims, no wounded,” Aliyev said.
He noted that Azerbaijan has lifted transit restrictions and begun supplying critical oil products to Armenia, marking the start of direct trade relations.
President Aliyev stressed that formal peace requires constitutional changes in Armenia, particularly the removal of territorial claims on Garabagh. “As soon as it is done, there will be no obstacles to the formal signing of a peace agreement… Definitely this year,” he said.
President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a road and rail corridor connecting Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia to Europe. He described the U.S. role as decisive in making the project a reality, noting the short Armenian segment of the corridor and ongoing infrastructure work on Azerbaijan’s side.
He also discussed the recent visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, which resulted in the Charter on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States, covering defense, energy, connectivity, AI, investment, and trade.
“Thus, we became an official strategic partner of the most powerful country in the world, and we consider it a big success for our country,” President Aliyev said.
Responding to questions about the harsh prison sentences for former separatist leaders in Garabagh, President Aliyev affirmed that the trials were transparent and based on documented crimes.
“These people committed serious crimes against humanity… Their crimes were even worse than what the Nazis did during World War II,” he said.
President Ilham Aliyev rejected calls for clemency while reiterating Azerbaijan’s offer for displaced Armenians to return under fair terms.
The Azerbaijani leader addressed past tensions with France, citing criticism and unauthorized visits to Garabagh by French politicians during the Second Garabagh War. He emphasised that recent interactions with President Emmanuel Macron have been constructive, signaling a “restart button” for bilateral relations.
“We were not the source of the problems… Now both sides are more ready for normal relations, especially after Armenia and Azerbaijan have already achieved peace,” he said.
Throughout the interview, President Aliyev underlined Azerbaijan’s commitment to regional stability, economic connectivity, and international cooperation, while asserting the country’s sovereignty and strategic interests in the South Caucasus.
Europe heads into the Munich Security Conference, on Friday (13 February), amid deepening unease over U.S. policy, as President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on defence, trade and territory fuels doubts about Washington’s long-term commitment to transatlantic security.
American figure skating star Ilia Malinin endured a dramatic collapse in the men’s free skate on Friday night, falling twice and tumbling out of medal contention at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov surged to a surprise gold medal.
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Azerbaijan’s State Security Service has filed charges against a group of people accused of belonging to a criminal network alleged to have attempted to forcibly seize state power. It's claimed they tried to alter the constitutional structure, with the support of foreign intelligence agencies.
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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev spoke about the emergence of a new world order at the Munich Security Conference. In response to a question by AnewZ's Orkhan Amashov, he discussed the creation of the Board of Peace, launched in Davos and its upcoming first summit in Washington.
Türkiye and Syria plan to establish a joint coordination system aimed at streamlining communication between the two countries and countering disinformation, a senior Turkish official said on Thursday.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry has raised concerns over reports that the Kulevi oil terminal on the country’s Black Sea coast could be included in a future European Union sanctions package against Russia.
The United Nations Security Council has renewed the Monitoring Team's mandate for another year. The Team supports the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee, keeping in place restrictions that target individuals and entities linked to the Taliban.
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