Slovak President Pellegrini Visits Azerbaijan to Meet Aliyev, Discuss Energy and Trade

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has departed for an official state visit to Azerbaijan, where he is scheduled to meet President Ilham Aliyev in the Karabakh region. Pellegrini is traveling with a delegation of ministers and aims to address several key topics, including energy cooperation and expanding business opportunities for Slovak companies in Azerbaijan. The visit is notable for its diplomatic symbolism: the meeting is set to take place in Karabakh, the disputed territory that Azerbaijan recaptured from Armenian forces in 2023 after decades of conflict. By holding talks there, the visit implicitly acknowledges Azerbaijani sovereignty over the region, which remains a sensitive geopolitical issue in Europe. Azerbaijan is a significant energy supplier to Europe, including Slovakia, particularly for natural gas delivered via the Southern Gas Corridor pipeline. For Slovakia, which has been navigating a shift away from Russian energy dependence since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, strengthening ties with Azerbaijani energy producers carries clear strategic and economic importance. Pellegrini's trip signals Bratislava's interest in deepening this relationship while also opening doors for Slovak businesses to access Azerbaijani markets.