In the Caucasus Mountains, Far From the Capital, Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic Search for a New Formula of Partnership

At the annual diplomatic reception marking “Europe Day” in Baku on May 14, as is customary for such ceremonial events, only positive aspects of relations between the European Union and Azerbaijan were discussed.

Just a few years ago, relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia remained a peripheral issue in European politics. Bratislava rarely appeared on Azerbaijan’s diplomatic agenda, while the South Caucasus occupied only a limited place in the strategic thinking of the Slovak political elite. However, Europe’s energy crisis, the war in Ukraine, and the transformation of Eurasia’s logistical map are gradually turning this seemingly secondary partnership into part of a new geopolitical reality.

Britain announced on May 11 a new package of sanctions against Russia, describing the measures as among the harshest introduced since the start of the war in Ukraine. London said the sanctions were a response to what it called Moscow’s “hostile activities,” including alleged attempts to interfere in upcoming elections in Armenia, as well as the deportation and ideological indoctrination of Ukrainian children.

In the corridors of Brussels institutions, words that only a year ago seemed almost politically taboo are beginning to reappear: negotiations with Russia, the future architecture of European security, and the possibility — however distant for now — of a gradual return to dialogue with the Kremlin.