AZE.US
Azerbaijan and Slovakia are moving their strategic partnership into a more practical phase, with new cooperation planned in energy, defense, transport, investment and the reconstruction of Karabakh.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini arrived in Azerbaijan on July 13 for an official visit that began in Karabakh. His plane landed at Fuzuli International Airport, where he was welcomed by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and other officials.
The main political talks were held in Shusha on July 14. President Ilham Aliyev and Peter Pellegrini met one-on-one before leading expanded negotiations and delivering joint statements to the media.
Aliyev said relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia had reached a high level, supported by the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed in 2024.
According to the Azerbaijani president, cooperation now covers trade, the economy, energy, defense and joint investment projects. He emphasized that the two countries want to turn political agreements into concrete results.
Azerbaijani Gas for Slovakia
Energy was one of the central issues discussed during the visit.
Pellegrini thanked Azerbaijan for its readiness to supply natural gas to Slovakia after Russian gas transit through Ukraine ended. He said Baku’s offer helped Slovakia partially address the resulting energy shortfall.
The two countries’ energy ministers are expected to continue negotiations on stable, long-term gas supplies after 2027.
The Slovak president described Azerbaijan as an important regional player, a source of stability and development, and a major transport and logistics hub connecting East and West.
Direct Flights Planned for October
The two countries are also preparing to launch direct flights.
Pellegrini said regular air service between Azerbaijan and Slovakia is expected to begin in October 2026. The new route is intended to strengthen tourism, business ties, academic cooperation and people-to-people contacts.
The Slovak president was accompanied by a large business delegation. An Azerbaijan-Slovakia business forum is also planned in Baku, bringing together government officials and private-sector representatives.
Pellegrini said Slovakia is interested not only in trade but also in joint production, technology transfers, investment and projects that benefit both countries.
NATO and Defense Cooperation
Security and defense were another major part of the talks.
Pellegrini announced that Slovakia’s embassy in Baku will continue serving as NATO’s contact point embassy in Azerbaijan in 2027 and 2028.
He also praised cooperation between the two countries’ defense ministries. The first results of joint defense projects are expected to be presented at an international defense exhibition in Baku in September 2026.
Slovak Project in Agdam
A key part of the visit was a trip to Bash Garvand village in Azerbaijan’s Agdam district, where Slovak companies are involved in a Smart Village project.
The first phase covers more than 200 hectares and includes the construction of 851 private homes for 3,703 residents. The project also includes a medical center, kindergartens, administrative buildings, utility networks and about 35 kilometers of roads.
Aliyev and Pellegrini laid the foundation of a new school designed for 840 students.
The school, presented by Slovakia as a gift to Azerbaijan, will be named after Slovak general and national hero Milan Rastislav Stefanik. It will include 35 classrooms, laboratories, a library, computer rooms, sports facilities and an assembly hall.
Part of the building’s electricity will be generated by solar panels.
Pellegrini described the school as a symbol of friendship between Azerbaijan and Slovakia and an investment in future generations.
Visit to Shusha and Khankendi
The two presidents also toured historical and cultural sites in Shusha.
During one part of the visit, Aliyev personally drove the Slovak president. Pellegrini described the gesture as an unusual and memorable demonstration of hospitality and trust.
The Karabakh portion of the visit concluded with an official lunch in Khankendi hosted by the Azerbaijani president. The program included Azerbaijani and Slovak music.
Pellegrini also praised Azerbaijan’s diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions surrounding the war between Russia and Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East.
He said European countries should focus not only on increasing defense spending but also on pursuing diplomatic solutions.
The visit demonstrated that ties between Baku and Bratislava are moving beyond formal political declarations. Energy supplies, direct flights, defense cooperation, investment and Slovakia’s participation in the reconstruction of Karabakh are now forming the practical foundation of the countries’ strategic partnership.
AZE.US