The key facts

  • Erdogan arrived in Shusha on November 8 for the sixth anniversary of Azerbaijan's Victory Day at Aliyev's invitation
  • The program included a welcome ceremony, closed-door talks, a press conference and a visit to the Shusha fortress
  • The Turkish leader also visited the Khojaly memorial and the Victory Monument in Khankendi

Visit to Shusha on the anniversary of the victory

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Shusha on November 8 at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to take part in the celebration of the sixth anniversary of Azerbaijan's Victory Day, marked on November 8. The date fell on a Sunday this year; it commemorates Azerbaijan's victory in the 2020 Karabakh war and the liberation of territories previously under Armenian occupation. This was reported by the Anadolu agency.

Visit program

Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan arrived through the Fuzuli International Airport and headed to the governor's building in Shusha, where they were welcomed by Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva. After the two leaders took their seats at the ceremony, a military band performed the national anthems of both countries. The leaders then held a closed-door meeting at the governor's building in Shusha, followed by a joint press conference, after which the presidents visited the Shusha fortress.

Memorial sites and Erdogan's statements

As part of the visit, Erdogan, accompanied by Aliyev, also visited the Khojaly genocide memorial and museum in Karabakh, and the presidents together visited the Victory Monument in the city of Khankendi.

Erdogan's statements

In a post on the Turkish social platform NSosyal, Erdogan called Shusha a city of history, nature and culture, and stated that six years ago the Azerbaijani people, united under Aliyev's resolute leadership, liberated Karabakh 'with great heroism.' He described the victory as the strongest expression of Azerbaijan's just cause and a source of pride for the entire Turkic world. According to Erdogan, the liberation of territories during the 44-day Patriotic War opened a new era in the South Caucasus, and the task today is to 'crown the victory achieved on the battlefield with lasting peace and stability.' He reaffirmed Ankara's support for Baku's efforts to establish lasting peace in the region, praised the restoration of Karabakh, and promised that Turkey would continue to share its experience and contribute to the region's restoration and development.