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A phone call from Ankara: Political implications of the Erdoğan–Ilham Aliyev conversation – ANALYSIS

President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

21 October 2026 21:05 (UTC +04:00)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s phone call to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on October 21 marked a significant political development in relations between the two countries. The heads of state discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues. Erdoğan once again congratulated Azerbaijan on the 35th anniversary of the restoration of its state independence and invited Ilham Aliyev to attend the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, to be held in Ankara. Both leaders expressed confidence that the fraternal relations between their countries would continue to develop successfully.

The phone conversation can be regarded not merely as a diplomatic formality but also as an exchange of particular political significance against the backdrop of the information-related tensions that have emerged around Azerbaijan–Türkiye relations in recent days.

Trust between the leaders is the key guarantee of bilateral relations

The phone conversation, which took place in a highly positive atmosphere, once again demonstrated that the personal trust, mutual respect, and political solidarity established between President Ilham Aliyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are among the principal factors defining the strategic nature of Azerbaijan–Türkiye friendship.

Thanks to the political will of the two leaders, relations have moved beyond the framework of traditional friendship and reached the level of a military-political alliance. These relations, formalized by the Shusha Declaration, are of considerable importance for regional security, energy, transportation, and the integration of the Turkic world.

However, it is equally important that the mutual trust existing at the leadership level be safeguarded with the same degree of sensitivity in the political and public spheres. In particular, responding promptly and firmly to information campaigns capable of damaging relations between the two brotherly countries is one of the requirements of their strategic partnership.

A delayed phone call and the absence of a timely response

Unfortunately, the phone conversation took place only after the malicious information campaign directed against Azerbaijan in Türkiye had already been underway for some time. In recent days, the distortion and misrepresentation of Azerbaijan’s domestic decisions regarding school uniforms by certain political and public circles in Türkiye, as well as the targeting of our country’s sovereign rights, had raised serious concerns.

The essence of the issue is that decisions adopted by Azerbaijan in accordance with its domestic legislation must not be turned into instruments of political pressure in other countries. This principle is one of the fundamental requirements of mutual respect, particularly between strategic allies.

It is regrettable that the anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric of certain radical circles in Türkiye was not countered in a timely manner. An earlier and clearer political stance from Ankara could have helped prevent the campaign from spreading and limited the opportunities available to forces seeking to undermine bilateral relations.

Of course, it would be inappropriate to equate the positions of individual political groups, figures, and media platforms with the policies of the Turkish state as a whole. Nevertheless, timely messages from official circles are particularly important when dealing with such sensitive issues.

Protecting the strategic alliance is a shared responsibility

The most significant political outcome of the Aliyev–Erdoğan phone conversation is that it once again demonstrated the commitment of the leadership of both countries to developing bilateral relations. This shows that the Azerbaijan–Türkiye strategic partnership is stronger than the artificial tensions generated by certain circles.

At the same time, these developments make it necessary to draw certain conclusions. Fraternal relations are strengthened not only through high-level statements but also through mutual political sensitivity, respect for sovereignty, and a principled response to information provocations.

While the October 21 phone conversation conveyed a positive political message, it also served as a reminder of the importance of actions that were not taken in a timely manner. The key issue now is to ensure that the relevant political and diplomatic mechanisms function more effectively to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

The trust between Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan remains one of the strongest pillars of the Azerbaijan–Türkiye alliance. However, responding promptly to campaigns that could undermine the strategic relations built upon this trust is equally important. The strength of brotherhood must be demonstrated not only through solidarity in the aftermath of crises but also through the ability to prevent such crises from arising in the first place.

Azerbaijan–Türkiye relations Ilham Aliyev Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Aliyev–Erdoğan phone call strategic alliance Azerbaijan–Türkiye brotherhood political trust anti-Azerbaijan campaign information provocations diplomatic relations