Erdoğan sends Aliyev a Victory Day message via pilot over Azerbaijan

While flying over Azerbaijan en route to South Korea, Türkiye’s president addressed Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani people through the aircraft commander. Erdoğan sent his allies advance greetings for Victory Day on November 8.

President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent greetings to Ilham Aliyev directly from aboard his aircraft. When the presidential plane en route to South Korea entered Azerbaijani airspace, the crew commander contacted an air traffic controller and read the Turkish leader’s message over the radio.

“While flying through the airspace of brotherly Azerbaijan during my trip to South Korea, I extend, personally and on behalf of the delegation, my most sincere greetings and best wishes to Your Excellency and the people of Azerbaijan,” the message read. The state agency AZERTAC published a video showing the text of the message.

A greeting six days before the holiday

Erdoğan also expressed confidence that the two countries’ allied relations and cooperation would continue to strengthen, and extended advance congratulations to Aliyev and the “brotherly people” on Victory Day, which Azerbaijan celebrates on November 8. The Turkish president wished the republic lasting peace, well-being and prosperity.

The holiday was established by Aliyev’s decree to commemorate the capture of Shusha on November 8, 2020, which became a turning point in the 44-day war in Karabakh. The hostilities ended with the signing of a trilateral statement mediated by Russia, while Türkiye, which supplied Baku with Bayraktar TB2 attack drones, became Azerbaijan’s main military ally in that conflict.

Erdoğan is in South Korea on an official visit from November 1 to 4 at the invitation of President Lee Jae Myung.

Video: AZERTAC