The official visit of Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs to Azerbaijan upon the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev is more than a diplomatic courtesy. It is a clear statement that relations between Baku and Riga matter not only bilaterally, but strategically across a rapidly changing Eurasian landscape.

At a time when Europe is rethinking supply chains, transport security, energy resilience and geopolitical partnerships, Azerbaijan and Latvia increasingly find themselves on the same page. One stands on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the other on the Baltic coast. Despite geography, once seen as a distance, is now becoming an advantage.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, both Azerbaijan and Latvia have pursued a path centred on sovereignty, state-building and integration into wider international systems. Both nations emerged from the same imperial wreckage with a determination to define their own futures. Both understand the value of independence because both know the cost of losing it.

That shared historical memory has often translated into political understanding. Latvia, like the other Baltic states, has consistently recognised and respected Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This principle was particularly significant during the difficult years following the........

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