Diplomatic rift emerges between Turkey and Azerbaijan

Tensions between Turkey and Azerbaijan have escalated, marked by the absence of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev from the Organization of Turkic States summit held on October 30, 2026, in Ankara. Adding to the diplomatic strain, Baku has decided to support a candidate from the United Arab Emirates over the Turkish nominee for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.

Political analysts, including Murat Yetkin, suggest this shift reflects Baku's discomfort with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's foreign policy and assertive leadership style. The friction reportedly began when Erdogan, while threatening Israel, publicly highlighted Turkey's involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Baku viewed these comments as an attempt by Ankara to claim credit for Azerbaijan's military success. Furthermore, relations were further strained when the Azerbaijani delegation remained in the UN General Assembly hall during Benjamin Netanyahu's address, contrary to Ankara's expectations.

While analysts clarify that Aliyev’s stance is not necessarily an act of hostility toward Turkey as a nation, it signals a clear resistance to Ankara's perceived role as a 'big brother' within the Turkic and wider regional political spheres.