BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 8. Relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia have demonstrated a pronounced tendency towards deepening and institutionalization in recent years, evolving into a genuine strategic partnership. The dynamic pace of political, defense, energy, economic, and technological contacts indicates that the cooperation between the two states has already acquired a systemic character, built on shared interests, trust, and mutual support.

A particularly important stage was marked by the signing of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership in May 2024 by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico. This document did more than just formalize the good will of the parties; it became the political foundation for deepening cooperation.

"This is a very serious political document, a document that raises our relations to the highest level. The articles contained in the Declaration of strategic partnership reflect our intentions and, at the same time, define the prospects for future cooperation," said President Ilham Aliyev during a joint press statement with Fico.

For its part, Slovakia has begun to more actively support the strengthening of Azerbaijan’s ties with the European Union and NATO, which has also become a significant political factor in developing regional relations and fostering mutual understanding in the Euro-Atlantic direction.

One of the most dynamically developing areas is defense and military-technical cooperation. The intensity of contacts between the defense ministries of the two countries increased noticeably in 2024–2025.

For instance, on November 7, a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Slovakia Robert Kaliňák arrived in Azerbaijan. The delegation took part in the military parade in Baku dedicated to the 5th anniversary of the Victory in the Patriotic War. In October, a Slovak delegation led by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, General Daniel Zmeko, also visited Azerbaijan. This April, within the framework of an official visit to the Slovak Republic, the First Deputy Minister of Defence-Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, Colonel-General Kerim Veliyev, and his delegation visited the country’s defense industry company. In November 2024, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, paid an official visit to the Slovak Republic at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák.

Regarding the economic sphere, one of the most vivid and realized results of practical cooperation is the Slovak smart village project in Bash Garvand, currently being implemented in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories. Slovakia’s participation in such projects underscores its readiness to play a long-term role in the revival of Karabakh.

Energy has become another key component of the cooperation, having acquired a strategic character. Slovakia, which is actively seeking ways to diversify its gas supplies, became the twelfth country to start importing Azerbaijani gas - deliveries from SOCAR to the Slovak state operator SPP commenced in December 2024 under a pilot agreement. At the first meeting of the EU-Slovakia working group on energy supply, where Azerbaijan was represented by Deputy Minister of Energy Orkhan Zeynalov, both sides emphasized the strategic significance of Azerbaijani gas and expressed full readiness to develop cooperation in the field of green energy.

Slovakia has also become one of the participants in the memorandum for the Solidarity Ring project, which is designed to increase the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Central Europe.

A separate layer of energy cooperation is related to the green transformation. Slovakia boasts one of the most environmentally clean energy systems in Europe, thanks to its strong nuclear sector, and is actively sharing its expertise. Slovak heat pumps are already being exported to Azerbaijan, contributing to emission reduction and the transition to low-carbon energy. Many Slovak companies working in nuclear energy and energy-efficient technologies have expressed readiness to develop cooperation with Azerbaijan - which is particularly relevant in the context of the global push for decarbonization and the decisions discussed at COP29, held in Baku. The presence of Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the conference served as additional confirmation of the importance of the climate and energy dialogue.

An Azerbaijan-Slovakia Business Forum was held in Baku in September 2024, where 16 Slovak companies from the non-oil sector discussed prospects for collaboration in power engineering, ICT, pharmaceuticals, and other areas. The existence of such contacts confirms the readiness of businesses in both countries to operate within the strategic partnership, utilizing the benefits of political stability and new legal mechanisms. One such mechanism is the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation, which entered into force on January 1, 2025, creating a favorable environment for investments and joint projects.

All these processes - from political coordination and defense partnership to energy integration, green technologies, and sustainable development - form a stable foundation for long-term cooperation between Azerbaijan and Slovakia. Moreover, the significance of these relations extends far beyond the bilateral level. For the South Caucasus, Slovakia’s involvement means an expansion of the European presence in the region, support for post-war reconstruction, and the development of new economic models. For Central Europe, Azerbaijan is becoming a guarantor of energy security and a partner in trans-European infrastructure projects. For Europe itself, the strengthening of ties between Baku and Bratislava is a contribution to sustainability and diversification on the continent.

Thus, Azerbaijan-Slovakia relations today represent a dynamic, complementary framework that is shaping a new politico-economic contour of ties between Central Europe and the South Caucasus. The deepening of cooperation serves the long-term interests of both countries and lays the foundation for regional stability, economic growth, and technological modernization, making this partnership one of the most promising in Europe and Eurasia.