ATHENS

The leader of Azerbaijan highlighted Saturday that new geopolitical realities were created by Russia’s war again Ukraine, which will mark its one-year mark Feb.24.

“Things will likely not be the same as they were before the war,” President Ilham Aliyev said at a plenary session of the Munich Security Conference.

“In this, we see some disadvantages, particularly in relation to trade with some traditional partners, but at the same time some advantages, especially regarding the connectivity projects,” he said, adding that Azerbaijani invested in recent decades to build a modern infrastructure.

“The diversion of cargo transportation from Central Asia across Azerbaijan to Europe creates additional opportunities,” he said.

Aliyev said Azerbaijan and Armenia, should leave hostility behind and open a new page after fighting a war two years ago.

He reiterated that Baku and Yerevan are currently working to reach a permanent peace deal. “Hopefully, we will conclude it sooner than later,” he said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed hope that the warm atmosphere with Ankara that emerged after two devasting earthquakes struck Türkye last week would lead to better concrete results including the establishment of diplomatic relations and opening the border between the two countries.

He said it would significantly contribute to regional and global stability.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili emphasized that everything should be done to stop the war in Ukraine.

Georgia, which experienced what a destruction war can bring in 2008, has been playing a role to end the war, he said.

“War means more devastation, more killings of civilians,” he said.