The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, have signed a joint statement on the settlement of the conflict. Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC), issued a statement regarding Azerbaijan’s victorious triumph.

According to V. Gasimli, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan succeeded in transforming its economic advantage into military power and its military victory into political success: “During the Patriotic War, Azerbaijan not only introduced innovations into the history of warfare worldwide, but also, for the first time in the world, signed an online act of victory. Armenia, in turn, became the first country in the world to capitulate online. In the first year of Mr Ilham Aliyev’s presidency, the defence budget amounted to only 0.9 billion manats, whereas by 2020 this figure had risen to 3.9 billion manats, and the Azerbaijani Army had become one of the most combat-ready forces in the world. By signing the act of victory, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief once again confirmed Azerbaijan’s leadership in the region across all parameters of power – economic, political, and military. Azerbaijan is reshaping the region’s geopolitics and geoeconomics. It will take Armenia, which was previously predicted to be unable to withstand a resource-based war, decades to compensate for the damage it has suffered.”

V. Gasimli noted that Azerbaijan possesses land, sea, and air superiority to transform the region’s geopolitical landscape. He recalled that Mahan, who laid the theoretical foundations of the naval doctrines of the United States, Japan, and France, emphasised the importance of sea power: “With its naval fleet, offshore oil and gas production, maritime infrastructure, the largest port in the Caspian Sea, and its Special Economic Zone, Azerbaijan has firmly established its sea power. Mackinder, on the other hand, believed that the source of power lies on land. In this sense, Azerbaijan’s possession of nearly half of the South Caucasus territory, and up to two-thirds of its population and economy, demonstrates the country’s land power. Today, taking into account the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan controls an airspace exceeding 160,000 square kilometres and 20 international air corridors. As the country with the largest civil aviation infrastructure, the largest aircraft fleet, and the highest number of satellites in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan demonstrated the superiority of its air force during the Patriotic War. Thus, Azerbaijan’s regional leadership is consolidated across air, sea, and land dimensions.”

According to V. Gasimli, based on the Act of Victory, all economic and transport links in the region are being restored: “This will enable Azerbaijan to further strengthen and diversify its position as a regional transport and logistics hub. At the same time, the construction of new transport communications between Azerbaijan’s western regions and Nakhchivan will further accelerate Nakhchivan’s development. Most importantly, Azerbaijan will establish a direct connection with Turkey via Nakhchivan.”

V. Gasimli also stated that, in accordance with the Act of Victory, the land, forest, water, subsoil, and other resources of the Kalbajar, Lachin, and Aghdam districts to be liberated from occupation will be integrated into Azerbaijan’s economic circulation: “Azerbaijan’s administrative-territorial and economic regionalisation will now be practically implemented in the formerly occupied territories as well. Azerbaijan is beginning preparations for the post-conflict period. In line with the ‘Great Return’, the restoration of communications, the reconstruction of the economy, the provision of housing, and the revitalisation of life will take place. In the post-conflict period, the development of industry, agriculture, and services in Azerbaijan will be ensured both through the mobilisation of new resources and through increased efficiency.”

“The victory of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and our Army has elevated the unity between the people, the state, and the army in Azerbaijan to a qualitatively new stage,” Vusal Gasimli noted, adding that the national solidarity formed around President Ilham Aliyev provides a strong foundation for the comprehensive continuation of reforms: “Azerbaijan must always remain strong in this region. Therefore, the three pillars – the economy, the army, and politics – must stand together.”