Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev spoke warmly of his country’s growing closeness with Russia and welcomed the victory of president-elect Donald Trump in the US, in a  wide-ranging interview with Dmitry Kiselev, director general of Russia’s Rossiya Segodnya agency, on December 18. 

The interview signalled Aliyev’s alignment with rightwing, illiberal leaders such as Putin and Trump, while he slammed interference by Western politicians and NGOs in Azerbaijan. At the same time, he openly admitted Azerbaijan’s involvement in neighbouring Georgia, which has been wracked by protests since Georgian Dream’s victory in the October general election, which the pro-Western opposition claims was rigged. 

Historic alliance 

Commenting on relations with Russia, Aliyev described the Declaration on Allied Interaction signed with Russia in February 2022 as a “historic event”, despite global upheavals. He noted the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijan in 2023 as symbolic of the alliance's strength. 

"Today, Russia and Azerbaijan are reliable partners," he said. "In difficult times, we have always acted with mutual understanding and friendship. This will remain unchanged," Aliyev added.

Aliyev welcomed Russian companies’ participation in rebuilding Karabakh, after Baku regained control of the territory, mentioning a kindergarten project initiated by Astrakhan’s governor, and called for greater Russian investment.
"We need more Russian contractors in large infrastructure projects — roads, tunnels, bridges. The opportunities are vast," he said.

On rising Nato-Russia tensions, Aliyev expressed hope that a direct confrontation could be avoided: "Imagining Nato and Russia in a hot war is imagining an apocalypse. There will be no winners," he said. 

Aliyev pointed to a potential shift in US foreign policy when Trump returns to office, referencing Trump’s "clear stance" on avoiding global escalations. 

Aliyev also highlighted Azerbaijan's unique position as the only country allied with both Russia and Nato-member Turkey. "This allows us to contribute to détente – a word we seem to have forgotten. We are trusted in the West, in Russia, and in the East," he said. 

He pointed out that Baku had previously hosted meetings between Nato and Russian military officials. "Few countries have such credibility. We are ready, if needed, to help reduce tensions," Aliyev added.

Rightwing narratives

Aliyev gave a clear nod to emerging global right-wing narratives, underscoring the importance of “traditional values” as a cornerstone of Azerbaijan’s identity and a point of alignment with Russia. 

"What brings our countries, nations, and leadership closer is our commitment to national roots and traditional values. This is, one could say, a rarity in some regions today," he said.

Aliyev sharply criticised what he described as moral decline and external influences destabilising societies. 

"Either there is external governance, or there is complete moral degradation — or both together," he said. Drawing parallels with Trump’s stance, Aliyev welcomed Trump’s re-election, portraying him as an ally in pushing back against liberal trends. "Trump, as we say, is in the same boat as us when it comes to traditional values," he said. 

Aliyev pointed to recent cultural events as symbolic of a broader societal decay: "The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics was a display of debauchery and backwardness. This destructive trend for humanity must be reversed," he said. 

He added that reversing these trends would require strong leadership and societies that trust their leaders.
"Leaders will do this. Societies that believe in their leaders will do this. We will do this. Otherwise, we will find ourselves in the minority. And we cannot be in the minority," he concluded.

Criticism for Macron

Aliyev fiercely criticised French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing France of neocolonialism in Africa and hypocrisy on global issues. "Look at New Caledonia and Mayotte — 75% of the population lives below the poverty line. France exploits resources while ignoring human suffering," he said. He linked France’s policies to its support for Armenia, describing Macron’s approach as "failed." "They [France] tried five times to drag the Karabakh issue to the UN Security Council. Each time, they failed. France is used to teaching others but cannot face its own failures," Aliyev said.

Aliyev also labelled France’s efforts to arm Armenia as destabilising. "Macron and others in the West arm Armenia under the guise of assistance. If Armenia starts provocations, no one will help them on the ground — just like in 2020 and 2023," he added. This will probably be seen as another war threat against Armenia.

Aliyev criticised USAID's role in pushing "unwanted assistance" in Azerbaijan and elsewhere, comparing this to US foreign policy under Trump. "The Biden administration is defined by its intrusiveness. Trump understood: that help should not be imposed. If he returns, perhaps structures like USAID will finally disappear," he said.

Meddling in Georgia 

Aliyev issued sharp criticisms of Western-funded NGOs in Georgia, referencing their role in destabilisation: "We know what it is like to deal with foreign-funded NGOs," he said, pointing to Azerbaijan's decision to regulate foreign grants. 

"We cleaned up this sphere long ago. Why should our media be funded from abroad? Do we fund their media?" he added, accusing RFE/RL and Voice of America of slandering Azerbaijan. 

Turning to Georgia, Aliyev noted a similar scenario, accusing "thousands of NGOs" of operating with Western backing: "Georgia’s stability is vital. The situation there is stabilising, and we welcome that. But external forces have clearly attempted to destabilise the country," he said. "As we say, the ears of Macron stick out everywhere," Aliyev added. 

He also openly admitted his country is interfering in Georgian affairs: "Azerbaijan is doing everything to ensure that the political situation in Georgia remains stable," he said, hinting at Georgian Dream's stability promises.

Caucasus arms race

Addressing Armenia’s military buildup with Western and Indian weapons, Aliyev announced Azerbaijan’s record $5bn military budget for 2025. 

"We are forced to respond. Armenia will not win this arms race, even if weapons are handed to them for free," he said. 

On Karabakh, Aliyev stated that around 20 Armenians remain in the region, receiving full Azerbaijani support: "We proposed reintegration plans, publicly available online. They refused. Now, they can either apply for residency, citizenship, or work permits — just like anyone else," he said, talking about Armenians from Karabakh who almost entirely moved to Armenia in 2023. He also reiterated demands for the return of Azerbaijani deportees to Armenia: "Some 300,000 Azerbaijanis deported in the 1990s have the right to return to their historical lands," he added.

Aliyev addressed Azerbaijan’s procurement of Russian weapons, noting that no new contracts had been signed in the past three years. "The reason is clear — Russia’s defence industry is prioritising its domestic needs," he said. Aliyev revealed that some existing contracts were postponed at Russia’s request. "We agreed to delay implementation, understanding the situation. However, we remain interested in modern Russian defence technologies and have recently submitted new procurement requests," he said. "Once Russia is ready to resume international supply, we will sign new agreements," he added.

Aliyev firmly dismissed speculation about the establishment of a Turkish military base in Azerbaijan. "No, there is no need for it," he said. "Turkey and Azerbaijan have cooperated militarily since 1992. Over the past 30 years, Turkish support has played a major role in modernising our army, aligning it to high standards in operations, intelligence, and planning," he added. Aliyev pointed out that the Shusha Declaration between Azerbaijan and Turkey already ensures mutual defence commitments. "This agreement makes permanent military infrastructure unnecessary," he said. "Claims about a Turkish base are mere political speculation," he added.

Nuclear plans 

Aliyev confirmed that Azerbaijan is considering nuclear power development, driven by both strategic potential and global trends: "We have 2.6 trillion cubic metres of gas reserves and growing renewable energy production. Nuclear power is not urgent, but we are studying mini-reactor projects for scientific purposes," he said. He highlighted Azerbaijan’s planned 4,000 MW power cable to Europe at the bottom of the Black Sea as part of its green energy agenda: "If foreign investors show interest, we are open," he added.