On 21–23 January 2025, NATO Deputy Secretary General Ms. Radmila Shekerinska was on a visit to Azerbaijan.

As part of this visit, NATO Deputy Secretary General held a series of official meetings with senior Azerbaijani officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Jeyhun Bayramov, the Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on special assignments, Mr. Elchin Amirbayov, and the Speaker of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova.

During the meetings, the parties exchanged views on the current agenda of the Azerbaijan–NATO partnership within the Partnership for Peace framework, emphasizing the importance of continued political dialogue and practical cooperation within existing mechanisms. Discussions also covered the current state and future prospects of Azerbaijan–NATO relations, as well as the latest developments in the region.

The meetings addressed regional security issues, including the Azerbaijan–Armenia normalization process and ongoing peace efforts. Officials for the Azerbaijani side provided updates on the outcomes of the Washington Summit and outlined agreed steps related to regional connectivity and transport projects. The first-ever visit of NATO’s North Atlantic Council ambassadors to Azerbaijan in 2025, including the meeting with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ilham Aliyev, was highlighted as a significant development in the history of Azerbaijan–NATO cooperation.

Further discussions focused on Azerbaijan’s contributions to NATO-led Peace Support Operations, including the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, its role in ensuring the energy security of Europe, and cooperation in the field of humanitarian demining. The parties also discussed Azerbaijan’s role as a transit and logistics hub within the Middle Corridor, NATO’s role in maintaining international peace and security, and the importance of strengthening relations between the Milli Majlis and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, including prospects for future cooperation.

As part of the visit, NATO Deputy Secretary General Ms. Radmila Shekerinska visited ADA University, where she met with the Vice Rector and Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Dr. Fariz Ismailzade, and also held meetings with faculty members and students. During these engagements, a comprehensive exchange of views took place on NATO and its core tasks, the role of the Alliance in maintaining international peace and security, and the mutually beneficial Azerbaijan–NATO partnership within the Partnership for Peace framework, including Azerbaijan’s contributions as an active and reliable partner to NATO-led Peace Support Operations, notably its critical support during the final stage of the Resolute Support Mission through the safe evacuation of Allied forces from Afghanistan, as well as its contributions to the energy security of Europe. Dr. Ismailzade briefed the Deputy Secretary General on ADA University’s academic programs, international cooperation, and efforts to enhance its educational offerings, after which Ms. Shekerinska toured the University and reviewed its modern campus and facilities.