Azerbaijan may reconsider arms policy towards Ukraine: Will this shift become game-changer for Kyiv?

Defense Express editor-in-chief and military expert Oleh Katkov shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

According to the expert, while Azerbaijan has significant reserves of weaponry and is currently rearming by replacing Soviet and Russian systems, it is unlikely to sell these stocks in large quantities. “Azerbaijan is not in a position to actively sell off its arsenal right now, in my opinion, and money is not that critically important to them,” Katkov noted.

He added that Azerbaijan’s new weapons production is also unlikely to benefit Ukraine due to export restrictions. “Azerbaijan cooperates closely with Israel in drone production, but Israel bans the re-export of its weapons. So such systems won’t be transferred,” Katkov explained.

The country also uses a wide range of Turkish-made weapons, but Turkey already supplies Ukraine with everything from ammunition to armored vehicles, including long-range systems and the well-known Bayraktar TB2 drones.

“Therefore, it’s hard to call Azerbaijan’s decision a lifeline for Ukraine — except if Baku begins transferring its Soviet- and Russian-made stockpiles,” Katkov concluded.