Big Chill Between Turkey and Azerbaijan

Diplomatic relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan have deteriorated sharply following an address by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev asserting sovereign independence, which Ankara has interpreted as a rebuke of Turkish influence. The dispute escalated with Baku imposing entry bans against 31 Turkish nationals, compounding earlier friction over Azerbaijan’s school headscarf ban. Turkish media expressed alarm over the total silence between Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while pro-government outlets like Yeni Akit accused Baku of tyranny and ingratitude for Turkish support during the 2020 Karabakh War.