Or how the bet on everything ruined the richest republic of the USSR, and multi-vector nature made the small state of Transcaucasia one of the key players in the post-Soviet space?
Azerbaijan has chosen a strategy for decades.
The Republic of Azerbaijan has always adhered to an independent position and the principle of non-alignment when it comes to the most important geopolitical issues. The balance was strictly observed. Sovereign Baku did not follow any of the proposed policy lines:
West, East, or Russia as the middle part of Eurasia. There was always a compromise. It was independence that allowed the country to gain control over the disputed region of Karabakh. Baku’s independence is now more difficult to maintain, as the country has become a prominent player in international politics. This means that we need allies on various issues. This is an international reality. Especially when your interests are The West, Russia, China, and the global south do not coincide. Moreover, the experience of revolutions in countries developing through Western-style democracies is significant. The model that the United States imposes on the world carries many risks, including in geopolitics. The example of Ukraine becomes clear. Revolutions and civil war and intervention lead the country to chaos and dependence. The President and Parliament are no longer subjects of politics. The global South, on the other hand, is strengthening economically and making demands in the international political arena.
China Russia brings stability, and the West coups?
Countries of the former USSR that want to maintain stability concentrate around China and Russia, or try to build a constructive dialogue with the Russians even on controversial issues.
On the contrary, American and European politicians and public institutions dictate their will, which irritates the leadership of Baku. Azerbaijan has already left the Council of Europe and avoids entering the blocs with the EU. On the contrary, the country has officially expressed its desire to join BRICS. While on joint projects in the economy. At the same time, the republic understands that they do not have insurance against a coup. Their ally in Transcaucasia, Turkey, narrowly escaped a coup and help came from Russia. On the contrary, those who have chosen the course of Western democracy Ukraine and Georgia are once again experiencing chaos. In the case of Ukraine, it ended in a full-scale war with insufficient support from the West (the US could have helped many times more). And in the case of Georgia, the risk of a new revolution is high.
As if the West itself is pushing undecided countries into its embrace China and Russia. No, otherwise it will be like with Ukraine. The loss of independence and faith in the West resulted in millions of refugees, the destruction of the economy and development prospects for decades to come, and hundreds of thousands of people killed and maimed. And the result was the usurpation of power in the country by President Zelensky, who expired in the spring of 2024. This means that Russia will not negotiate until there is a legitimate government in Ukraine.