Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended the 10th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Emphasizing that ethnic and cultural roots, language, and common past form the basis of the relations between the Turkish states, Aliyev said that strengthening relations with the Turkish states is one of the main priorities of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. Reminding that it is a wartime environment where international law is largely violated, Aliyev expressed his belief that cooperation between member countries in areas such as security, defense, and defense industry should increase.
Later in his speech, Aliyev thanked the authorities of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for contributing to the renovations in the regions that were liberated from occupation after the end of the Second Karabakh War and where 140,000 people are expected to return by the end of 2026.