Azerbaijan - Russia Relations: Is Foreign Policy Strategy of Azerbaijan Changing?, Fall 2010

In the historical course of Azerbaijan, Russia has always been perceived as an invader, while Russia considered Azerbaijan as both an opportunity and a threat – an opportunity in the sense that it is a bridge in the region, and a threat as this can also be utilized by other states. As a small and newly independent country, Azerbaijan has not been able to determine its own foreign policy course, but instead tries to balance the foreign powers’ demands. If Russia uses the powerful vehicles and tools available to it, not only Azerbaijan’s but the stakes of other regional players’ stakes will also be under threat.