Baku, December 4, 2025 – The Europe Today: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Defence, Lord Vernon Coaker, during an official meeting, Azernews reported.
Lord Coaker conveyed the warm greetings of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to President Aliyev and expressed satisfaction at meeting the Azerbaijani head of state. He emphasized the friendly and trust-based relations between the two countries and reaffirmed the UK’s interest in strengthening bilateral ties at the level of a strategic partnership.
President Aliyev thanked Lord Coaker for Prime Minister Starmer’s greetings and asked that his own greetings be conveyed in return. The President fondly recalled Keir Starmer’s participation in COP29 and their meeting during the summit.
Highlighting the long-standing bilateral partnership, President Aliyev noted that cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UK began in the energy sector and has since expanded into numerous fields. He stressed that significant opportunities exist for further developing cooperation in trade, investment, and other sectors. The President also pointed to the opening of a new chapter in defense industry cooperation, describing it as a strong sign of mutual trust.
Lord Coaker also congratulated President Aliyev on the progress achieved in Washington in August regarding the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the advancement of the peace agenda.
President Aliyev expressed gratitude for the congratulations, underscoring the historical importance of the recent developments and acknowledging the special role of U.S. President Donald Trump in the process. He reiterated that Azerbaijan initiated the peace agenda and would continue efforts to move it forward.
Both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest during the meeting.
