Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine have agreed to introduce unified transit permits for freight transport. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Transport.
The relevant intergovernmental agreement was signed on May 15 of this year at a meeting of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission in Astana. It provides for the introduction of a single transit permit form in all five countries.
The document will allow carriers to cross the territories of several participating states using a single form without additional documents. The decision aims to eliminate administrative barriers and speed up transit.
AZERBAIJAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, transit permits, UKRAINE, UZBEKISTAN
On April 27, an international literary and artistic event titled “Lesya Ukrainka in the Azerbaijani Cultural Space” took place in the capital to mark the 155th anniversary of the poet’s birth, according to the organizers.
“The project demonstrates the interconnection between cultural diplomacy and its impact on humanitarian support for Ukraine,” said Marina Goncharuk, director of the Ukrainian-Turkic Center, in a comment to the agency.
According to reports, the event featured the first-ever comprehensive study of Lesya Ukrainka’s literary presence in Azerbaijan, including the history of the monument to the poet in Lokbatan (Baku), as well as an overview of translations of her works into Azerbaijani, publications, and research by local authors.
A separate part of the program was the presentation of the fairy-tale drama “The Forest Song” in Azerbaijani, published with the support of the Ukrainian Book Institute.
According to Goncharuk, cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Azerbaijan has a practical dimension.
“Back in 2003, Irpin and Lokbatan signed a memorandum of cooperation, and as early as 2004, monuments to Lesya Ukrainka and Zarifa Aliyeva were unveiled. Subsequently, this cooperation evolved into humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan for the restoration of social infrastructure in Irpin,” she said.
The head of the Ukrainian representative office of NEQSOL Holding, Volodymyr Lavrenchuk, noted that the translation of the poet’s works into Azerbaijani is a continuation of cultural and value-based ties.
“Lesya Ukrainka is a symbol of strength of spirit, freedom, and Ukraine’s European identity, so supporting the translation of her works is a natural step for the company,” he noted.
Jalal Huseynov, President of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Business Association “Terezi,” emphasized the importance of cultural dialogue.
“The highest level of mutual understanding is the word,” he noted.
According to reports, the event was also attended by Olena Odynoka, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, who highlighted the role of translations in intercultural dialogue.
“Translations are bridges between nations; they are what enable us to better understand one another,” she said.
A greeting from Azerbaijani poet and translator Salam Sarvan was read aloud during the event.
The artistic program included performances by Ukrainian artists featuring dance and vocal numbers representing Azerbaijani culture, as well as a performance of the Azerbaijani national anthem on the bandura.
An exhibition of artistic collages by Maria Zamay, a student at Mariupol State University, was also presented.
Following the official portion of the event, guests were treated to a traditional Azerbaijani tea ceremony and refreshments.
The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the diplomatic corps, cultural figures, and the media. Partners included the Radisson Blu Hotel Kyiv City Centre, NEQSOL Holding, SOCAR Energy Ukraine, and other organizations.
During a government visit, Azerbaijan provided Ukraine with five passenger buses as humanitarian aid for community needs, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga announced.
“Since 2022, Azerbaijan has repeatedly contributed to supporting the Ukrainian people. In particular, it has provided humanitarian aid worth over $45 million, including powerful generators, transformers, and critical equipment that helps maintain the operation of our energy system amid constant attacks,” he wrote on the social media platform X.
The minister noted that the country is also providing support to Ukrainian children.
“More than 500 Ukrainian children have participated in rehabilitation programs in Azerbaijan—this is especially valuable in the context of war. We deeply appreciate this solidarity, as it helps Ukraine stay on its feet and move forward,” Sibiga noted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the signing of six agreements with Azerbaijan during his visit to the country, singling out security as a key area.
“We signed six documents today. Our teams will certainly share the details later. These cover various areas. Today, the top priority is security—specifically, the defense-industrial complex,” Zelenskyy said during a joint statement with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the city of Gabala on Saturday.
The Ukrainian president also announced agreements on joint production and the work of Ukrainian experts in Azerbaijan.
“We will certainly develop our cooperation and joint production. These are very important areas that will definitely enhance the security of our countries and our peoples, as well as trade, which we truly want to increase between our countries,” he said.
Zelenskyy announced a “very significant step” in the form of signing documents on the joint development of the countries’ defense-industrial complexes.
He also thanked Aliyev for 11 support packages in the energy sector and for assistance to children evacuated from border areas, and reported on agreements in the field of education, specifically regarding the training of Azerbaijani students in Ukraine.
Aliyev, in turn, noted that “quite serious cooperation” is currently underway between Ukraine and Azerbaijan and that it was “once again confirmed” during Zelenskyy’s visit.
“Regarding military-technical cooperation, we also discussed this issue. It has quite broad prospects in both Ukraine and Azerbaijan. We see the development of the defense industries, and we can look into joint production. But overall, we have excellent opportunities in manufacturing. And today we also had extensive talks on this,“ he said.
Also, according to the head of the Azerbaijani state, the presidents discussed the need to develop trade between the countries. ”It currently amounts to more than $500 million, and I think it will continue to grow. Because we have every opportunity,” he said.
In addition to political dialogues, the parties also discussed cooperation in the energy sector. “We have achieved certain milestones. SOCAR has been operating successfully in Ukraine for many years. And now there are very good prospects. We have joint projects, joint initiatives, and investments. All these issues were discussed in detail today,” Aliyev said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev efforts to end the war in Ukraine, as well as the possibility of holding the next round of Ukrainian-American-Russian talks in Azerbaijan.
“We also discussed peace efforts. It is very important for Ukraine that Russia finds the strength to end this unjust war. Of course, we highly value the role of our partners in mediating this process,” Zelenskyy said during a joint statement with Aliyev in the city of Gabala (Azerbaijan) on Saturday.
He emphasized that Ukraine is ready for trilateral talks. “We had such talks in Turkey; we had such talks with our American partners in Switzerland. Undoubtedly, we are ready for the upcoming talks in Azerbaijan if Russia is ready for diplomacy,” Zelenskyy added.
As reported, on February 26, following a meeting between the Ukrainian negotiating team led by Rustem Umerov and Davyd Arakhamia and U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced an increased readiness to hold the next trilateral meeting, likely in early March in Abu Dhabi (UAE). The last round of talks took place in Geneva (Switzerland), and the previous ones in Abu Dhabi.
On March 2, Zelenskyy clarified that the trilateral Ukraine-U.S.-Russia meeting was tentatively scheduled for March 5–6 in Abu Dhabi; however, due to hostilities, the Ukrainian side cannot confirm that the meeting will take place there, though no one has canceled it.
On March 5, a source close to the negotiating delegation told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency that the next meeting as part of the trilateral Ukraine-U.S.-Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine has been postponed indefinitely for the time being.
According to a survey conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Azerbaijan show a noticeable decline in positive sentiment and an increase in the proportion of neutral assessments. Overall, 44.3% of respondents expressed a positive attitude toward this country, whereas in August 2025 this figure stood at 56.7%. At the same time, the share of negative assessments rose slightly—from 5.7% to 6.5%—which indicates not a sharp deterioration in perception, but rather a shift in responses toward neutrality.
The breakdown of responses confirms this trend. The share of those who view Azerbaijan entirely positively stands at 14.2%, while another 30.1% selected the “mostly positive” option. At the same time, the largest category was the neutral position—47.1% of respondents. This means that for a significant portion of Ukrainians, Azerbaijan is not a country with a clearly defined emotional or political image.
Negative assessments remain relatively low, although they show some growth. The share of “mostly negative” attitudes stands at 4.9%, and “completely negative” at 1.6%. The share of those who were undecided is 2.1%, indicating a sufficient level of awareness among respondents regarding this country, but at the same time—a lack of clear reference points for evaluation.
The trend over the past six months points to a decline in the level of emotional certainty regarding Azerbaijan. The drop in positive assessments by more than 12 percentage points is accompanied by a sharp rise in neutral views. This may indicate a weakening of the country’s media presence in the Ukrainian media landscape or a decline in the relevance of bilateral issues in public discourse.
Compared to European Union countries or Ukraine’s strategic partners, Azerbaijan is perceived much less unequivocally. The high proportion of neutral assessments means that public opinion regarding this country is less stable and more sensitive to external factors—whether informational, political, or economic.
“If we look at these results, we see that attitudes toward Azerbaijan are not negative, but they are becoming less defined. The decline in positive assessments is not due to an increase in criticism, but rather to a shift of some respondents into the neutral zone. This means that the further shaping of the country’s image will largely depend on its activity in the Ukrainian information and economic spheres,” noted Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Thus, the survey results indicate a gradual weakening of Azerbaijan’s positive image in Ukraine, which is not accompanied by a sharp rise in negative sentiment but manifests itself in an increase in the share of neutral assessments. This creates both challenges and opportunities: on the one hand, the country is losing some of its positive perception, and on the other, it retains the potential to restore it through more active engagement with Ukrainian society.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center based on data from the State Customs Service, Azerbaijan ranks 36th in total trade volume of goods with Ukraine as of December 31, 2025, with a figure of $511.2 million. At the same time, imports from Azerbaijan slightly exceed Ukrainian exports, resulting in a moderate trade deficit of $44.7 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, AZERBAIJAN, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
