Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, First Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army Colonel General Karim Valiyev, Deputy Defense Minister and Commander of the Air Force Lieutenant General Namig Islamzade, and other ministry officials have arrived in Turkey on a working visit. The delegation is set to attend the "High-Level Observer Day" of the "EFES-2026" multinational joint exercises.
According to the Ministry of Defense's statement to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with Turkey's Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler. Simultaneously, Colonel General Karim Valiyev held discussions with his counterpart, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu. The meetings focused on the current state and future prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey in military, military-technical, and military-educational fields. Both sides emphasized the strategic importance of joint projects and training initiatives conducted in both nations.
The EFES-2026 multinational exercise is one of the largest military maneuvers in the region, featuring approximately 10,300 personnel from 50 countries. The Azerbaijani leadership is scheduled to observe both the day and night phases of the exercise during the "High-Level Observer Day." These drills aim to enhance interoperability between participating nations and strengthen regional security. Azerbaijan and Turkey frequently conduct joint military exercises under the framework of their strategic alliance, which focuses on mutual defense and military modernization.
