The trilateral summit held in Lachin on May 28, 2025, with the participation of Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, and Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, was of great importance not only in terms of further strengthening the strategic partnership between the three countries, but also in terms of regional stability and cooperation.
The main topics of the summit included security, energy cooperation, regional transport projects and joint initiatives in the humanitarian field. President Ilham Aliyev, in his speech, emphasized that holding such a high-level event in Lachin carries symbolic significance in terms of the restoration of life in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories and the development of international cooperation.
Lachin Summit: Independence Day and message of brotherhood
President Ilham Aliyev specifically emphasized the significance of holding the Summit in Lachin, which was liberated from Armenian occupation, on Azerbaijan’s Independence Day: “This has a great symbolic meaning. Today’s Summit is the second in number. The first Azerbaijan-Türkiye-Pakistan Summit was held in July last year. I am sure that we will continue this tradition. Our nations are bound by shared history, culture, and values. We have rejoiced in each other’s successes and been there for each other during difficult times.Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan have always championed sovereignty, territorial integrity, and justice. We once again express gratitude for the political and moral support of Türkiye and Pakistan from the first days of the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020. Azerbaijan, in turn, has always stood by Türkiye and Pakistan. Today, we once again reaffirm the unity of our peoples."
Adviser to the Academy of Public Administration under the President, Chairman of the Baku Political Scientists Club, Zaur Mammadov told APA that the trilateral meeting held in Lachin with the participation of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan on May 28 – Independence Day – carries strategic importance as a triumph of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and the official confirmation of a new geopolitical reality in the region.
He noted that the gathering of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lachin on May 28 – Independence Day – is not merely a symbolic gesture, but also an event with deep political and geostrategic significance: “Holding this meeting specifically in the city of Lachin aims to demonstrate the region’s new status and Azerbaijan’s fully restored sovereignty to the world. Although Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity during the Patriotic War in 2020, challenges around the Lachin corridor persisted. During the 30-year occupation and even the preceding Soviet era, the Lachin region served as a key logistical route for Armenia’s separatist ambitions. After the Patriotic War, from 2021 to 2023, this road was still secretly used by separatists as a channel of support. However, due to the principled stance and consistent policy of the Azerbaijani state, these attempts were thwarted, and full sovereignty was ensured over Lachin road and surrounding areas. The Lachin meeting also reaffirmed the strategic cooperation of the three brotherly countries – Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan – based on shared interests and a common security agenda. The military alliance between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, formalized in the Shusha Declaration, along with Pakistan’s swift and resolute responses to regional threats, transforms this format into a genuine military-political power center. This unity sends a message that any threat to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity will no longer be seen as targeting just one country – but rather an entire alliance.”
The political analyst also noted that the Lachin Summit is a clear example of the emerging new geopolitical order in the region.
“As the traditional security architecture loses its relevance, the unity of countries like Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan is shaping a new balance of power. This trilateral cooperation is not limited to the military sphere but also promotes economic, diplomatic, and cultural integration. The meeting held in the city of Lachin is of great importance not only for regional stability but also for the establishment of international law and justice. This is not merely a joint photo shoot – it is a political declaration of a new era and a refined map of the power balance,” Zaur Mammadov emphasized.
Strong economy, shared values, common future
Highlighting the importance of the Lachin Summit, President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that the three brotherly countries — Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan — are further strengthening their strategic partnership for regional stability and development, based on shared values, mutual trust, and strong economic and political potential.
"We are three brotherly countries that share common ideals based on mutual love, respect and trust, and benefiting from the same cultural environment. We are further strengthening the ties between our countries, which have a population of approximately 350 million and an economic power of 1.5 trillion dollars. I would like to emphasize that we are behind every step aimed at transforming our alliance into a strategic partnership. The events taking place in our region are showing clearly how important the solidarity between our countries is. With the liberation of Azerbaijan’s lands, which had remained under occupation for 30 years, we would like to see this region become a center of stability, prosperity and development. I believe that the Lachin Airport, which we inaugurated this morning, will make a significant contribution to the development and integration with the world that the region has long yearned for many years. Today, we are exchanging views with our dear brothers on important issues in order to further advance our trilateral cooperation. Our foreign ministers will carry out the necessary work in the coming period to organize our trilateral cooperation. They will prepare a strong framework reflecting the common vision of our countries, especially in areas such as trade, investment, transport, energy, defense industry and counter-terrorism, which are shaping our common agenda. As Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Pakistan, we will institutionalize our cooperation by organizing regular trilateral summits and ministerial meetings."
In a statement to APA, Turkish political expert Ismail Cingoz emphasized that the trilateral meeting held in Lachin with the participation of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan is a highly strategic step for the future of the region: “This meeting carries an important message not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire Turkic and Islamic world in terms of politics, diplomacy, and security. Organizing such a summit in a symbolic area like Lachin shows that Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is no longer a matter of dispute. It also demonstrates that a new balance of power is forming in the region — the Azerbaijan-Türkiye-Pakistan alliance. This format will make serious contributions in the future toward establishing stability, cooperation, and joint security mechanisms in the South Caucasus and beyond.”
Reliable partnership, shared goals
In his speech at the Summit, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that in today’s complex global environment, the trilateral cooperation formed with brotherly and reliable countries like Türkiye and Azerbaijan is not only a sign of unshakable friendship, but also a strategic platform serving regional peace, justice, and shared development goals: "In today's unpredictable and volatile world, political security architectures, connectivity alignments and emerging technologies are shaping the new reality. In such a situation, Pakistan is very fortunate to have sincere brothers like Türkiye and Azerbaijan, who have stood together with us as impregnable rocks and whom we can trust without a second thought, unhesitatingly, as brothers-in-arms, forever united in peace, justice and morality. Dear brothers, I am confident that our time-tested relationship would not only be beneficial for the well-being of our own people, but also contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and beyond. This trilateral format is both very timely and of great importance and significance for all of us, as it gives us the necessary political ownership and the impetus to move forward collectively and in unison in all spheres of our common interests."
Pakistani geopolitical analyst Malik Ayub Sumbal stated in an interview with APA that the trilateral meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan held in Lachin is not only a celebration of the existing brotherhood among the peoples but also a significant political event laying the foundation of a new geopolitical alliance formed based on the shared strategic interests of these three countries.
Malik Ayub Sumbal, author of the book “Tovuz to Karabakh: A Comprehensive Analysis of War in South-Caucasus,” believes that the deepening strategic cooperation among Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan, especially in the context of the trilateral meeting held in Lachin, indicates the formation of a new geopolitical alliance in the region based on collective defense and political solidarity: “The steps taken toward forming a new trilateral alliance among Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Türkiye represent an important geopolitical event that could change the strategic dynamics at both regional and international levels. The expanding cooperation may soon result in the signing of a Joint Defense Pact, which will further strengthen the security architecture of the three countries and lay the foundations for a collective defense system in the region. This alliance is based not only on interstate relations but also on the unbreakable brotherhood and mutual trust existing among the peoples. The peoples of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan share historical, cultural, and spiritual ties that transcend state borders and exemplify solidarity. These relations continue steadily and are based on mutual support. The trilateral conference held in Lachin is particularly significant in this context. Lachin, symbolic of the liberation of Karabakh from occupation, was not chosen for this high-level meeting by chance. Lachin is also located at a junction that will become a regional hub for trade and communication arteries in the future. For this reason, the conference venue holds not only symbolic but also great strategic importance and demonstrates to the world that the geopolitical status of this region is changing. Continuing this cooperation on an institutional basis within this format can be regarded as a serious strategic initiative aimed at ensuring regional security and stability, as well as laying the groundwork for a new geopolitical bloc.”
New geopolitical and geo-military configuration
Speaking about the recent tensions between Pakistan and India at the Lachin Summit, Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan and Türkiye for supporting Islamabad’s rightful position: “I would once again like to thank you from the core of my heart to have supported Pakistan in the recent conflict, which was obviously very serious. It was an aggression from India against Pakistan for no rhyme or reason. And at that point in time, my very dear brother, President Tayyip Erdoğan, your firm stand and your solidarity with the people of Pakistan, as well as my very dear brother, President Ilham Aliyev, your unwavering commitment with the people of Pakistan and firm stand during this crisis has earned the highest level of appreciation and deep gratitude from the people of Pakistan, my government and myself. And we will remain grateful to both of you and the both nations for all time to come."
Pakistani geopolitical analyst Sumbal stated that the strategic solidarity among Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan signifies the formation of a new geopolitical power center based on justice in the region: “The strategic alliance and trust-based relations existing between Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan reflect a stable and consistent political line that plays an important role in the regional balance of power. Against the backdrop of the recent military-political tensions between India and Pakistan, the support shown by Azerbaijan and Türkiye to Pakistan is not merely a diplomatic gesture, but a political stance grounded in common interests, security priorities, and the defense of international law. This strategic solidarity among the three countries acts as an important pillar not only for regional stability but also for upholding the principle of justice in the international relations system. The position demonstrated by Azerbaijan and Türkiye on this issue also indicates the emergence of a new power center from a geopolitical perspective.”
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev also stated at the Summit that official Baku shows solidarity with Pakistan and supports resolving the tensions with India through peaceful means and in accordance with international law: "We have closely followed the recent escalation between Pakistan and India with great concern and heartfelt hope for peace and stability. In this challenging time, we have openly expressed our solidarity with Pakistan from the first day. We advocate for resolving the conflict through dialogue and peace, in accordance with the principles and norms of international law and the UN Security Council resolutions."
Political analyst Zaur Məmmədov emphasized that the relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan are characterized by high dynamics not only in the diplomatic sphere but also at the strategic and military cooperation level: “The timely and adequate response by Pakistan to the sudden attacks and provocations by India, as well as the serious damage inflicted on the Indian army, did not go unnoticed by the international community. These events once again demonstrated that the Pakistan Armed Forces are among the strongest armies in the region both in terms of numbers and technical capabilities. Azerbaijan has shown full support to its brother Pakistan in this matter, defending Islamabad’s rightful position on international platforms. The political and moral support Azerbaijan provides to Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, coupled with Pakistan’s consistent defense of Azerbaijan’s just position on Karabakh, reflects the unbreakable brotherhood ties between the two countries. The recent trilateral summit held in Lachin also demonstrates that a new geopolitical and geostrategic configuration is already forming in the region.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also addressed the tension between Pakistan and India at the Summit, expressing his satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement: "I would like to take this opportunity to express our satisfaction that the fact that the tensions between Pakistan and India have resulted in a ceasefire. I congratulate our brother Shehbaz and the Pakistani officials again for the restrained and determined position they have demonstrated during this process. Our wish is for the declared ceasefire to turn into lasting peace. Türkiye stands ready to make every contribution it can to this end."
Turkish political expert Ismail Cingoz stated that Türkiye's support for Pakistan amid the recent tensions between India and Pakistan once again demonstrates the strength of brotherly relations between the two countries: “India’s arming of Armenia and its aggressive policies in the region are perceived not only as threats to Pakistan but also to its strategic partners. In this regard, Türkiye has contributed to maintaining regional balance by openly showing political support to Pakistan. This solidarity was reaffirmed during the Lachin meeting. Türkiye, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan sent a joint message to the world about the importance of unity and cooperation for regional security.”
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
