Analysts rule out impact of fuel supplies to Kiev on Azerbaijani-Russian relations

The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) provides humanitarian assistance to Ukraine by supplying fuel free of charge. However, according to analysts, this fact does not affect relations between Baku and Moscow, as the authorities of Azerbaijan fear a decrease in trade with Russia and have to pursue a coordinated policy.

On February 26, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that SOCAR Energy Ukraine, a subsidiary of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic, would support ambulances and fire service vehicles in Ukraine with free fuel.

Ilham Aliev, President of Azerbaijan, cannot do more, as his possibilities are limited, among other things, by the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia. Refusing to export goods to Russia means bankrupting tens of thousands of Azerbaijani farmers, a “Caucasian Knot” blogger wrote in his “Wind from Absheron” blog. Also, according to the blogger, Azerbaijan cannot quarrel with Russia over Ukraine, since Russia remains the most effective regulator on the Karabakh conflict.

Russia is aware of SOCAR’s humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and does not oppose social programmes, suggests Khafiz Babaly, the head of the “Turan” agency’s economics department.

Ilham Shaban, the head of the Oil Research Centre, doubts that the SOCAR’s assistance to Ukraine can cause tension between Moscow and Baku.

Azerbaijan regularly provides humanitarian assistance to Ukraine: for example, on April 21, it sent food and medicine worth about 2 million US dollars to the country.

Earlier, the President of Azerbaijan has declared his principled support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.