Azerbaijani leader calls for defense cooperation among Turkic states
Speaking in a televised interview released late Monday, President Ilham Aliyev referred to an initiative he presented during the 12th summit of the Organization of Turkic States last October, where he raised the idea of organizing joint military drills involving member countries.
Aliyev underscored the need for nations to enhance their defense capabilities, arguing that there is “no such thing as international law in today's world.” He said states and their leaders should do “anything wrong, should not set their sights on the territorial integrity of any country, should not occupy any country,” but added that maintaining strong military capacity is essential so that “no one should even think of harming you and getting away with that.”
“That is why we are increasing our power, including our military power. We cooperate with Türkiye in the format of a formal alliance, including a military alliance … However, it would be good if the Turkic states, which are our family, also started cooperating in this direction,” he said.
At the same time, Aliyev emphasized that his proposal does not involve forming a new military organization. “We are now simply cooperating in the energy sector, in the transport sector, in trade, investment, in many areas. Why not cooperate in this area as well?”
“Considering that this is the number one issue for all countries today, my proposal is valid. We are now sending our messages through various diplomatic channels. If there is a general agreement, then we will see these exercises this year,” he added.
During his address at the 12th summit, held in the Azerbaijani city of Gabala, Aliyev had already suggested conducting joint military exercises among member states in 2026, citing what he described as “extensive cooperation between our countries in military, defense, and security areas.”
The Organization of Turkic States serves as a multilateral platform aimed at deepening cooperation among Turkic nations across political, economic, cultural, and security fields. Its full members include Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, while Hungary, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus hold observer status.
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