On September 6, President Ilham Aliyev addressed the "Azerbaijan's Role in the New Geopolitical Environment" session at the International Cernobbio Forum. 

"Italy and Azerbaijan have been strategic partners for many years, with the corresponding declaration adopted almost ten years ago. Our cooperation spans various sectors, and we maintain regular political contacts," Aliyev stated. Aliyev emphasized that this visit marked his third trip to Italy since 2020, following Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s visit to Azerbaijan in 2018. These high-level exchanges, he said, underscore the strong partnership between the two nations. He also noted that Italy is Azerbaijan’s top trading partner globally, with a trade turnover nearing $16 billion in the previous year, and emphasized potential growth beyond the energy sector.

"Azerbaijan is Italy’s number one oil supplier and its second-largest gas supplier. This cooperation is crucial," Aliyev remarked. He added that energy supplies clearly illustrate how national security is closely tied to energy security, highlighting the importance of the 3,500-kilometer Southern Gas Corridor pipeline, which provides energy security to ten countries, seven of which are European Union members. This has led the European Commission to regard Azerbaijan as a "pan-European gas supplier and a reliable partner."

Regarding peace in the South Caucasus, Aliyev expressed optimism, stating that "peace is achievable" based on recent progress in negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "We are actively continuing negotiations, and about 80 percent of the peace treaty has been approved," he noted. Aliyev mentioned the ongoing border delimitation and demarcation process, with 13 kilometers of the more than 1,000-kilometer border with Armenia already marked. Although a small step, he said it was in the right direction, expressing hope that Azerbaijan's peace initiative would lead to a formal agreement.

Aliyev also touched on Azerbaijan's potential role in resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine. When asked by the session moderator, he said, "There is a hypothetical possibility. Together with Russia and Ukraine, we were part of the Soviet Union for 70 years, and we maintain diverse connections at both the political and people-to-people levels. We support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and all other countries, but we have not, and will not, participate in the anti-Russian sanctions campaign." He suggested that Azerbaijan, with its pragmatic relations, could play a role in resolving the conflict if needed, though the country had not initiated any involvement.

Addressing a question about Azerbaijan's travel ban on members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Aliyev noted that the ban could be lifted once Azerbaijan’s delegation is reinstated in the organization. "What happened in January crossed the red line. We fully restored our sovereignty last year, and separatism was eliminated from Azerbaijan's territory in September. Ukraine is trying to do the same but without success despite significant Western support. We did it on our own," Aliyev stated. He criticized PACE's decision to deprive Azerbaijan’s delegation of voting rights following this restoration of sovereignty, labeling the move as punitive. In response, Azerbaijan declared PACE members persona non grata. However, Aliyev indicated that the ban would be lifted in January if PACE restored Azerbaijan's voting rights.

President Aliyev concluded by reiterating the progress made in peace negotiations with Armenia, noting that approximately 80 percent of the peace agreement text has already been agreed upon. He stressed that border delimitation and demarcation processes have begun, marking an essential step toward a lasting peace agreement between the two countries.