BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 5. November 8 is a
date that will remain forever in the memory of the Azerbaijani
people, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
According to him, this day stands as a beacon, illuminating the
triumph of arms while weaving together the threads of collective
spirit, visionary governance, and the tapestry of national
identity.
“It was on that very day – November 8, 2020 – that the
Azerbaijani Army, by liberating Shusha, entered the decisive phase
of the Second Karabakh War and created the key factor that led to
Armenia’s capitulation. However, this victory was not the result of
sudden decisions or short-term plans. It was the fruit of years of
thoughtful, consistent, and purposeful policy. The difficult yet
determined path Azerbaijan followed after the restoration of
independence became reality thanks to the strategic vision of the
country’s leadership and the unity of its people.
Today, November 8, is not only a symbol of the liberation of the
lands – this date is a chronicle of the struggle and rebirth of
Azerbaijani statehood. The processes standing behind Victory Day
are the peak of the consistent policy and diplomatic struggle
carried out by President Ilham Aliyev over many years.
The end of the 20th century was a period of both freedom and
loss for Azerbaijan. In front of the newly independent state there
were numerous challenges from political, economic and also military
points of view. In a situation where the army had not yet been
formed and state institutions were weak, as a result of Armenia’s
aggression, 20 percent of our lands were occupied. At that time,
Azerbaijan’s voice was weakly heard in the international arena.
Both internal stability and the situation in the international
environment were complicated. However, with Heydar Aliyev’s return
to power in 1993, stability was restored in the country and the
foundations of the state were strengthened. It was precisely during
that period that the political, diplomatic and economic foundation
of the future victory was laid.
With Ilham Aliyev’s election as President of Azerbaijan in 2003,
the country entered a new stage of development. Under his
leadership, Azerbaijan began to strengthen in a planned and
systematic way both economically and militarily. President Ilham
Aliyev had declared from the very first years that Azerbaijan’s
economic power would determine its military power.
This policy yielded its result in a short time. Thanks to the
efficient management of oil revenues, Azerbaijan’s economy turned
into the most dynamically developing economic system of the region.
The revenues obtained through the State Oil Fund were directly
directed to army building, raising social welfare and modernizing
infrastructure,” he noted.
According to him, of late, the Azerbaijani Army has become one
of the strongest armed forces in the region. New technologies,
modern weapon systems, personnel reforms and the formation of a
professional officer corps were achieved. Raising national spirit
in the army, increasing combat readiness, and deepening strategic
military cooperation with Türkiye were among the most important
components on the road to victory. President Ilham Aliyev
repeatedly emphasized that we must always be ready to liberate our
native lands from the occupiers. This was not just a political
statement – this was the expression of psychological and
ideological preparation that lasted for years.
“Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan
entered a new era – an era of diplomatic achievements. The foreign
policy of the head of state was balanced and multi-vectoral: it was
based on an environment of mutual trust with the West, Russia and
also the Islamic world. Azerbaijan became known in the
international arena as a reliable partner, and took an active
position on such platforms as the UN, the Council of Europe, and
the Non-Aligned Movement. In the issue of Karabakh, Armenia’s image
as an aggressor was gradually exposed, and the world community
began to accept Azerbaijan’s just position. All of this served one
goal – to strengthen the diplomatic and legal basis for the
liberation of Karabakh.
In response to the next provocation of the Armenian army on
September 27, 2020, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan began a
counter-offensive operation. President Ilham Aliyev, saying ‘We are
fighting on our own land, we are liberating our own lands,’ clearly
demonstrated the essence of the operations. This was not just a
military operation – this was the beginning of the 30-year struggle
of the Azerbaijani people for justice. The war lasted only 44 days,
but during this short period, the Azerbaijani Army demonstrated
unprecedented tactical and technological superiority in modern
military history.
Drone operations, real-time coordination, high motivation and
professional leadership led the Armenian army to complete defeat.
The liberation of Shusha was the most dramatic and decisive moment
of the war. Despite the mountainous terrain, unfavorable conditions
and the enemy’s defensive lines, the Azerbaijani soldier showed
unparalleled heroism. President Ilham Aliyev’s historic address –
‘Shusha is ours! Karabakh is ours!’ – was not just a military news,
this was the beginning of a new era for Azerbaijan.
The liberation of Shusha caused the psychological breakdown of
the Armenian army and resulted in the signing of the act of
capitulation on November 10, 2020. This victory was not only the
return of lands – it was also the restoration of justice, national
pride and sovereignty. During the 30-year occupation period, the
whole world saw that Azerbaijan was neither a forgotten nor a
reconciled nation. During the war, President Ilham Aliyev perfectly
fulfilled the role of Supreme Commander-in-Chief, diplomatic leader
and national symbol,” he said.
Garayev pointed out that after the Second Karabakh War, a
completely new political and security environment was formed in the
region. Azerbaijan, as a victorious country, turned into the
leading force of regional order.
“However, the existence of certain illegal armed groups in
Karabakh, the provocations of separatist remnants, and Armenia’s
avoidance of the peace process had been preventing the full
realization of Azerbaijan’s sovereign rights. President Ilham
Aliyev repeatedly declared that ‘the continued illegal presence of
the Armenian armed forces in the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan
is a source of military tension in the region.’ This statement
fully corresponded to international law, because according to the
principles of the UN, every state has the right to security and
governance within its sovereign territory.
In September 2023, against the background of the next
provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces in the Karabakh
region, Azerbaijan began local anti-terror measures. The measures
lasted only one day, but the result was historic – the separatist
regime was completely destroyed, the armed groups were disarmed,
and Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over the Karabakh region was fully
restored.
The separatist leaders were arrested, and their trial is
currently continuing in Baku. These measures were not war, but from
a legal point of view the restoration of constitutional order.
President Ilham Aliyev managed this process with exceptional
precision both militarily, politically and diplomatically.
After our lands were completely liberated, the Azerbaijani state
began to implement the “Great Return” program in these territories.
Large-scale reconstruction works were carried out in such cities as
Shusha, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Lachin and Aghdam. New roads,
airports, power lines, schools and hospitals were built. This was
not only physical reconstruction – this was the restoration of the
people’s spirit, the manifestation of the state’s strategic vision
directed toward the future.
President Ilham Aliyev stated that ‘Karabakh and Eastern
Zangezur will become one of the most developed regions in the
world.’ This vision is already becoming reality. After the
restoration of sovereignty in Karabakh, Azerbaijan put forward an
agenda of sustainable peace and cooperation in the region.
President Ilham Aliyev’s position was clear: ‘We want peace, we
don’t want war, peace, but a fair peace.’
The peace agreement project proposed by Azerbaijan was based on
five main principles of international law. These principles were in
accordance with the norms of international law and served as a
guarantee of long-term stability in the region. However, at the
initial stage, the Armenian government strongly resisted this
process. Yerevan, under the pressure of Western circles and the
influence of internal radical groups, pursued a policy of
prolonging peace negotiations.
President Ilham Aliyev managed this situation calmly. In the
Brussels format, as well as in Moscow and Washington meetings, he
defended Azerbaijan’s national interests with an unwavering and
principled position. At this stage, Azerbaijan’s diplomacy was also
operating at the level of cultural and legal diplomacy. The facts
presented by Azerbaijan, the reconstruction policy implemented
after the war, and the convincing arguments against Armenia’s
revanchist rhetoric were accepted by the international community.
As a result, the world community increasingly recognized that peace
in the South Caucasus was possible only in the format proposed by
Azerbaijan,” he noted.
The analyst emphasized that in August 2025, under the mediation
of the U.S., a trilateral meeting took place in Washington between
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan and U.S. President Donald Trump.
“This meeting went down in history as the turning point of South
Caucasus diplomacy. The Washington format, unlike the previous
Brussels and Moscow negotiations, was fully aimed at result.
Because by then the disputed issues had been practically resolved
and Azerbaijan’s sovereignty fully restored. At the Washington
meeting, the parties reached agreement based on the peace treaty
project proposed by Azerbaijan.
The initialing of the agreement in fact formalized the legal end
of the conflict. A number of important provisions were included in
the document. This agreement was the conclusion of Azerbaijan’s
diplomatic victory. The document signed in Washington has
historical significance in many respects: the era of war in the
region officially ended, Armenia’s claims against Azerbaijan were
legally abolished, the U.S. and the international community
recognized Azerbaijan’s role as leader and initiator, and a new
stage of integration in the South Caucasus began,” he noted.
According to him, November 8 is not only a day of military
victory in the history of Azerbaijan. This day is engraved in
memories as the triumph of the people’s will, the power of the
state, and leadership.
“The Azerbaijani people went through difficult trials in the
early 1990s. The lands were occupied, hundreds of thousands of
people became internally displaced, and it was a country whose
voice was little heard in the international system. But this nation
had the strength to rewrite its own history. And the leadership
factor played a decisive role in forming and directing this power.
Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani
state combined strategic thinking with national will and created a
turning point in history that is rarely encountered. At the core of
President Ilham Aliyev’s political line lies the principle of
strengthening the independence of the state, ensuring the welfare
of the people, and restoring justice,” the analyst said.
Garayev pointed out that as a result of President Ilham Aliyev’s
far-sighted policy, Azerbaijan’s position was delivered to the
world during the 44-day war.
“During the war, President Ilham Aliyev was both the Supreme
Commander of the front and the leader of diplomacy. His ideological
struggle carried out on global media platforms such as BBC, CNN, Al
Jazeera, TRT and others ensured the victory of truth on the
information front. The liberation of Karabakh was not only the
restoration of territorial integrity, but also the revival of
national identity, spirit and pride. The liberation of Shusha was
not only a military operation for Azerbaijan – it was the
liberation of culture, history and faith.
The cities rebuilt in Karabakh, the returning families, the
restored mosques and schools confirm the human value of this
victory. The complete restoration of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty in
September 2023 was the second phase of the historical process. This
event showed that Azerbaijan had fought not only for land, but for
the principles of statehood. The peace diplomacy that started
afterward was already moving forward under Azerbaijan’s initiative.
Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, a doctrine of
peace, development and cooperation was formed in the region.
The factor that forced Armenia into peace was not only military
power – it was also Azerbaijan’s diplomatic and political
superiority. The initialing of the peace agreement signed in
Washington in August 2025 was the peak of Azerbaijan’s diplomacy.
This document was not only an agreement between two countries – it
was the beginning of a new era in the South Caucasus. With the
peace treaty, Azerbaijan legally puts an end to the conflict with
Armenia, determines the architecture of security in the region, and
with its own initiative turns into the leader of the regional
integration process,” Garayev noted.
The analyst underlined that today Azerbaijan is not only a
victorious state – it has the status of a leader country, adding
that a new political and economic order in the South Caucasus is
being formed based on Azerbaijan’s initiatives.
“Projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the Zangezur
corridor, and the Southern Gas Corridor play the role of strategic
arteries uniting the region. The Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur
regions are turning into the centers of Azerbaijan’s green energy
and smart city concepts. Azerbaijan acts on the international level
as a platform for peace and security – hosting COP29 and its
activeness in UN platforms are clear proofs of this. At the center
of all these processes stands President Ilham Aliyev’s school of
leadership – this school is built on pragmatism, realism and
national interests.
November 8 is now not only the memory of victory – this date is
a day of responsibility and inspiration for future generations.
Today, if our tricolor flag is waving in free Karabakh, this is
thanks to the unity of the people, the heroism of the army and the
farsighted policy of President Ilham Aliyev. Now a new task stands
before Azerbaijan – to rebuild Karabakh, protect peace and pass
this spirit to the generations of the future.
The 35-year path from the shocks of the 1990s to the peace
treaty of 2025 is the chronicle of the rebirth of a nation. At the
beginning of this road stood pain, and at its end – pride. November
8 – is the peak of this road. This date is the triumph of the will,
patience, power and state thinking of the Azerbaijani people under
the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. Today, the world
recognizes Azerbaijan as a victorious, just and peace-loving
state,” Garayev concluded.
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