On May 29, President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan met with Steve Daines, a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
During the meeting, Senator Daines congratulated President Aliyev on Azerbaijan’s Independence Day and expressed confidence in the significant potential to strengthen friendship and partnership between the United States and Azerbaijan.
Daines highlighted the close cooperation between Azerbaijani and US forces in Afghanistan, noting that Azerbaijani soldiers served alongside US troops and that Azerbaijani peacekeepers at Kabul Airport were among the last to leave the country. He emphasized their vital role in evacuating both civilian and military personnel and conveyed special appreciation for their contributions.
Throughout his career, Senator Daines stated that he has prioritized developing relations with Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries, recognizing considerable opportunities for expanding these ties. He stressed the importance of increasing visits by US Senate representatives to Azerbaijan and the region.
President Aliyev thanked Senator Daines for the Independence Day congratulations and appreciated the congratulatory letter from former US President Donald Trump, which highlighted opportunities to deepen security, energy, and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States. Aliyev also valued the attention given to Azerbaijan during Trump’s first term.
The meeting underscored Azerbaijan’s role as a key logistics hub in the Eurasian region, thanks to its developed transport infrastructure and political relations with regional countries, particularly in the development of the Middle Corridor. The discussion also covered other mutual interests. At the meeting’s conclusion, Senator Daines presented President Aliyev with a keepsake.