Zelenskiy’s Gulf Visit Expands Ukraine’s Defense Ties and Signals New Implications for Azerbaijan

A sharp escalation in geopolitical tensions at the end of February triggered one of the fastest oil price rallies in recent years. Over the following five weeks — from February 28 to April 5 — benchmark crude prices rose from around $70 per barrel to $110–120, according to Reuters.

The ongoing disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is accelerating plans to develop new pipeline routes to export oil while bypassing the strategic waterway, the Financial Times reported.

Heads of government of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) gathered in Baku on April 2 with a familiar message and an increasingly pressing question: can a bloc built on shared identity evolve into a force with tangible economic impact?

Israel has struck a second Iranian military facility near Azerbaijan’s borders within days, while a separate missile incident involving Turkey underscored the widening regional risks linked to the Iran confrontation.