AZE.US
Russia’s break with Europe and its war against Ukraine are pushing Moscow to search for new foundations for its foreign policy and historical identity, Azerbaijani political analyst Rizvan Huseynov said.
Against that backdrop, Russia is showing greater interest in the Turkic world while Azerbaijan strengthens ties with Central Asia and expands its own regional options, Huseynov, director of the Center for the History of the Caucasus, said in an interview with the YouTube channel “Sovremennyy Razgovor.”
Huseynov said Moscow’s growing attention to Eurasian identity reflects a deeper problem: older narratives about Russia’s place in the world are becoming harder to reconcile with its current policies. Emphasis on European roots, a shared history with Ukraine and Orthodox Christian ties now sits alongside confrontation in those same directions.
Russia therefore needs a new narrative both for its domestic audience and for relations with neighboring states, he said. Turkic heritage and a broader Eurasian identity have become part of that search.
The Turkic World Is Setting Its Own Agenda
The countries Moscow is approaching are already developing their own agenda, Huseynov said. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Central Asia has moved beyond diplomatic meetings to include economic, transit, investment and military-technical projects.
He described the emerging “Central Asia plus Azerbaijan” format, sometimes called C6, as a space in which Baku can serve as a key link between the two shores of the Caspian Sea.
The effort also includes academic and civic ties. Huseynov cited a research project involving representatives of Azerbaijan, the five Central Asian states and the Swiss organization Nexus. He said the project examines how the region’s peoples view one another and identifies areas where cooperation has a durable social foundation.
Such integration cannot be based only on ethnic or religious kinship, he said. Tajikistan’s participation, for example, requires a broader approach that recognizes historical, cultural and economic ties despite the country’s predominantly Iranian-language identity.
A Shift in the Academic Debate
Huseynov said he saw signs of Russia’s turn toward the Turkic world at the “Great Altai - Ancestral Home of the Turks” forum in Kazakhstan. Russian participants devoted considerable attention to ancient Turkic heritage, archaeology and the history of Turkic peoples, he said.
He interpreted that focus as a shift within part of Russia’s academic community and an attempt to find additional points of contact with Turkic countries. Those interpretations of historical concepts are Huseynov’s assessment rather than an official Russian position.
Summarizing the trend, he repeated a metaphor he heard at the forum: Russia wants to “jump into the last carriage of the departing Turkic train.” His broader argument is that Moscow is trying to join processes that are becoming increasingly independent of it.
Technology and Non-Oil Projects Matter for Baku
Huseynov linked Azerbaijan’s expanding relations with Central Asia to growing economic contacts with Western partners. He highlighted potential projects in information technology, artificial intelligence and data centers.
He described the new stage of investment cooperation as a “Contract of the Century 2,” drawing a comparison with Azerbaijan’s landmark 1994 oil agreement. The phrase was his political characterization, not the official name of an agreement.
The important difference, he said, is the growing role of non-oil industries. Those sectors could broaden Azerbaijan’s economic base and increase its importance to international partners.
Huseynov also welcomed signs of improving relations between Baku and Moscow but noted their cyclical nature, with periods of normalization often followed by renewed tensions.
In his assessment, Azerbaijan is entering a phase in which its regional position is shaped simultaneously by transit, investment, technology and its links with Central Asia. Russia’s turn toward the Turkic world is part of that changing landscape.
AZE.US